The REAL Cosmic Couple
by November Lynneus Oradot
Summary: Macaria - Hades and Persephone's daughter - tells Bob, Hercules and Meg the CORRECT version of how her parents met and got married, plus a little more. Rated T for mild language, mild violence, mild sexual situations, and kidnappings.
1. Part 1: Introduction

**Macaria and _this_ Persephone are MINE! Anyone who uses them without my permission gets attacked by Cerberus.**

**Hercules, Meg, Bob, and Hades all belong to Disney. Use them at your own risk.**

**_The REAL Cosmic Couple_**

Introduction

In an empty room, someone cleared his throat. It was Bob; the narrator.

"Now, let's see…" Bob cleared his non-existent throat, and began to speak, narrating as only a narrator could do. "Ancient Greece. A time of fierce battles, heroic…heroes, and romantic love stories. But there is one twisted love story that does not follow in the traditional Greek path of stories such as Pygmalion and Galatea, Perseus and Andromeda, Odyseus and Penelope, and so on. The brutal kidnapping of Persephone."

A flower-adorned vase with a picture of Persephone, goddess of spring and Queen of the Underworld, was wheeled into the room by an assistant. Seconds later, another assistant followed, carrying a much smaller one of Hades, Lord of the Dead. It was set upon a table next to Persephone's, and both assistants left the room. Bob continued.

"Persephone was a beautiful and kind goddess, and everyone on Mt. Olympus and on Earth was devastated to learn that Persephone had been snatched by the sick and sadistic god, Hades. Hades, as we _all_ know, has no heart and feelings, and shed no remorse over this cruel, cruel deed he was carrying out. Persephone was held hostage in the terrible Underworld—"

Bob was suddenly interrupted by a disembodied voice ringing out in the room: "HOLD IT!" A teenage goddess, who was the owner of this voice, materialized in the middle of the room, hands on hips, and a scowl on her pink-tinted face. Her hair was in a ponytail, her eyes were violet, and she was dressed in all black.

Bob sounded surprised. "Who are you?"

"My cousin," said Hercules proudly, and he walked in the middle of the room to join her, followed by Meg.

"Your…cousin?" said Bob.

"Well, yeah" said the girl, and pushed back a few strands of blond hair. "I'm Macaria, or Maci for short. I'm the _daughter_ of Hades and Persephone."

Bob was stunned into a few seconds of shocked silence. "…But…how?"

Macaria turned orange, and her hair burst into flame. "Well, it happened pretty much in the usual way!"

"No, no, I mean, in the stories it says that Hades kidnapped Persephone and forced her to marry him…?" Bob's voice trailed off.

"Yeah. But there's more," said Macaria. She extinguished herself.

"Of course there's more…Persephone refused to eat anything, so Hades forced her to eat six pomegranate seeds and now she gets stuck in the Underworld for six months each year. That's why we have the four seasons."

Macaria rolled her eyes. "No, no, _no, _that's NOT what happened. Who wrote these stories?"

"Then what happened?" said Bob indignantly.

"I'm actually kinda curious myself," said Hercules, "How did your mom and your dad…meet?"

"And I wanna know why the heck would anyone would wanna spend more then ten minutes with Hades, let alone marry and... have children with him," said Meg.

"Fine," said Macaria. She formed a chair for herself, black and Underworldian-styled, then created two for Hercules and Meg and sat down.

"Well…" said Bob, "I'm supposed to be done narrating now, and I've got nothing to do for the next hour or two…what the hey? Go ahead, Macaria."

Macaria cleared her throat and beamed. "My pleasure...now...ladies and gentlemen, mortals and gods, monsters and ghosts, and anything else that's out there…forget Zeus and Hera...get ready…to hear the story…of the REAL cosmic couple!"

* * *

EDIT 1/18/10: Since I've gotten two reviews mentioning this, I want to point out that even though the Persephone in TRCC, LMFAF, and the rest of the fics featuring her is the same colors as the Persephone shown in Disney's Hercules, **_THEY ARE NOT THE SAME PERSON!_** I have my own design for her, and in no way are they related to one another other then them having the same name. I refuse to acknowledge her, because in my opinion, her design is too...fluffy to fit Disney Hades. Capisce? Good. ^^ :) I luffles you all anyway. ^^

EDIT 2/25/10: Thank you, SilverArrow13, for pointing out that I copied the intro twice on here...yeah, took me a while to figure out what she was talking about, but thanks. XD

EDIT 6/12/10: Hey there! I decided that I'm going to be editing this story a little bit; not too much, just adding in words and phrases and other bits and pieces. Same general story, same general chapters, except old readers might notice some lines that were erased, or that never used to be there. Enjoy!


	2. Part 2: Chapter I

_**This**_** Persephone and Macaria are MINE. Anyone who uses them without my permission gets attacked by Cerberus.**

**Demeter, Pain, Panic, Hades, and the Fates belong to Disney. Use 'em at your own risk.**

_**The REAL Cosmic Couple**_

Chapter I- Persephone Sulks and the Fates Predict

"Many years ago, before Hercules was born," Macaria began, "A goddess sat in her room, arguing with her mother."

* * *

"Dear gods, mom…" whined Persephone, and kicked away the pink flower petal headdress her mother was trying to put on her.

"Persephone. Is that anyway for a grown goddess to behave?" scolded Persephone's mother, Demeter, goddess of agriculture. Demeter picked up the glaringly pink headdress and brushed off the dust on it with her green glowing hands.

Persephone just rolled her eyes.

"If you want a suitable god to marry you, you'll have to behave yourself." Demeter placed the headdress on Persephone and beamed.

"Maybe I don't _want_ a god to marry me," snapped Persephone, "I don't _want_ to get married." She threw the headdress across the room, and stood up. She went over to the window.

"Persephone!" cried Demeter. She knew how much her daughter wanted to stay single, but gods from all over the world had been pestering her to marry Persephone off. It was easy to see why—with her violet eyes, light pink skin, and shoulder-length blond hair, Persephone was quite a vision.

Persephone traced her hand along the panels of the window. "I don't want to marry anyone, Mother," she said firmly, her voice soft.

"Oh, Persephone, darling, you'll have to marry someone someday…" said Demeter. She went over to her.

"No-one is _right_ for me," protested Persephone, "I don't want to marry someone I don't like. I'll be stuck with them forever - y'know, immortality? And divorce is not an option…not here in Greece, anyway." She sighed, and said, "Can't I just follow Artemis and Athena and Hestia? Can't I become the fourth virgin goddess?"

Demeter smiled, delighted. Her plans had always been to either have Persephone marry a nice civil god, or become a virgin goddess. "If that's what you want, then that's what we'll do." _One detail'll stand in the way of that, _thought Demeter, and then quickly pushed the thought aside._  
_

Persephone merely shrugged. Honestly... she would've loved to settle down and get married. There just wasn't anyone she would even consider marrying. However, becoming a virgin goddess was completely out of the question; she had simply blurted it out without thinking.

"Now, Persephone, would you _please_ put this on?" Demeter handed her the headdress. Persephone jammed it on her head with a scowl.

"Happy now?"

"Very nice, Sephy," Demeter smiled, but then frowned again. "Here...your chiton's wrinkled...and there's a breeze outside...maybe you should bring your shawl..."

"Mother," she hissed between clenched teeth, "Can you _please_ stop fussing over me already?"

Demeter sighed. "Sephy, I just do this because I love you."

Persephone scowled. "Love me a little less, please."

Demeter sighed again. "As Goddess of Spring, you need to be responsible, and sensible, and you need to let me fuss over you and do what's right, because as your mother, I know what's best for you….."

Persephone rolled her eyes, marking on the wall behind her another tally mark. XXVII times her mother had recited this speech. She resisted the urge to mouth the words along with her.

"Mom. I'm fine. Nothing will happen. I can take care of myself," Persephone said, "And _don't_ call me Sephy."

"I just worry, Sephy... er, Persephone," said Demeter, "Now come along, we've got to get to this family reunion. Zeus expects us to be there, and he expects us to be there _now_."

Persephone gave an aggravated sigh, and followed her mother out to the chariot. She wasn't psychic, but she could sense that this family reunion was going to suck. Badly.

* * *

Meanwhile, from the Underworld, a stream of extremely rude curses rang out. Hades was mad. And Pain and Panic found it best to hide.

Immediately.

"Um…boss…what's wrong?" asked Pain tentatively, from his spot behind Hades' throne.

"This…_this_ is what's wrong!" snapped Hades, and he waved a little scroll at the imps.

Panic managed to read it from his spot under Hades' giant chessboard. "'You are cordially invited to a family reunion on Mt. Olympus…' Hmm…blah blah blah…date…time…um…'by order of Zeus...'"

Hades exploded. "See, now I HAVE to go to this stupid thing…" he growled.

"It can't be _that_ bad," said Pain.

"Oh no? Everyone fusses over everyone, and totally ignores me. So I'm left standing in a corner for the entire time…and then Zeus'll come over and be all annoying, hugging me, being all 'friendly'…ugh…"

"Won't Aphrodite be there?" said Pain.

"Yeah! You can harass her the whole time!" said Panic.

Hades rolled his eyes. "I'm _not_ going..."

"I thought you just said you _had_-"

"I don't care. I'm not going," Hades concluded sulkily. He sank into his throne with a scowl.

"Oh, yes you are." said Lachesis. All three Fates were standing in front of Hades in a flash.

The god of the Underworld nearly jumped out of his skin.

"Wha—?" he choked out, then anger crossed his face, "Oh. It's you three. Well…..what exciting prophecy do you have for me today?"

The three Fates looked at each other. Lachesis nudged her sisters and all three moved to the front of the room.

Hades slumped back in his throne, knowing full well that he wasn't going to like what they had to say.

"You must go to this family reunion," began Atropos, taking the eye from Clotho, and popping it in her socket.

"And just why, pray tell, is it so important to attend _this_ particular family reunion?" said Hades, drumming his fingers on the armrest of his throne.

"If you stop interrupting us, we'll tell you," snapped Clotho, and Hades shut up.

"You will meet someone," said Lachesis, and she popped the eye in her socket

Hades had an urge to say something very rude and very sarcastic, but instead stayed silent and listened to what they had to say.

"A girl," said Atropos.

"I've already met Hecate, babe, and trust me, she isn't my type," said Hades with a smirk.

All three glared at him.

He slumped back in his throne.

"You will meet a girl at this party. And you will—" said Clotho, but Atropos and Lachesis clapped hands over her mouth.

Hades sat up again. "What? 'I will' what?" They shook their heads. "So, you're just gonna—gonna leave me at a dead end like that?"

Clotho looked down guiltily, and gave the eye to Lachesis. "We can't tell you," said Lachesis, "Go to the reunion—and you'll find out."

Hades stared at them, beginning to turn orange. "You're _cruel_," he growled.

"True that," said Atropos cheerfully.

"Have fun at the reunion!" chimed in Lachesis and they vanished.

Hades sat back with a huge, angry sigh as Pain and Panic blinked nervously. "Well," he said to them, "Looks like I'm going to this exciting family reunion. _Wheee…_"


	3. Part 3: Chapter II

**_This_ Persephone and Macaria are MINE. Anyone who uses them without my permission gets attacked by Cerberus.**

**Demeter, Pain, Panic, Hades, Bob, Hercules, Apollo, Zeus and Mt. Olympus belong to Disney. Use 'em at your own risk.**

**_The REAL Cosmic Couple_**

Chapter II- Demeter Tells the Truth and Hades Arrives

"Now wait a second," said Bob, "What's so important about a family reunion?

"And who's the girl that the Fates said Hades would meet?" said Hercules, "And what will Hades do when he meets her?"

"Well...maybe...and this is _just_ a suggestion, people, but...maybe if you _stop interrupting me_, I'll tell you!" snapped Macaria.

Everyone stopped talking to let her continue.

"Alright, now where was I? Oh, yes…"

* * *

Hades slunk around the Underworld, throwing things into his chariot.

"It's customary to bring a gift when you're going to a gathering such as this, boss," said Pain. Hades glared at him.

"Since when do people bring gifts to family reunions?" said Hades, hands on hips, "And I'm only going 'cuz the Fates are gonna force me, like it or not…"

"And 'cuz you're gonna meet a girl, right?" put in Panic eagerly. Hades zapped him.

"_No_, not 'cuz I'm gonna meet a girl," snapped Hades, "The stupid Fates enjoy making me do stupid things, like going to stupid parties to meet stupid, _bratty_ little girls. So even if I _don't_ go, they'll use thier little tapestry to make me go. Ya got the concept, brainiac?"

"Uh-huh," said Panic.

Hades rolled his eyes, and got into the chariot. "See you in five minutes when they throw me out," he griped, and flew off.

* * *

"Mo-_om_," groaned Persephone, attempting to hide her face with her flower petal headdress, "Everyone's _looking_ at me…."

"They're awestruck, Sephy—they think you're beautiful," Demeter bubbled.

Persephone groaned, not just because her mother had called her Sephy again. Every male on Olympus had their eyes fixed on her, and it was absolutely nerve-wracking.

"Ah! There's Apollo!" cried Demeter, and began trying to flag him down. Persephone tried her best not to sarcastically gag.

"Tell me, mother…just _what_ is so great about that…that jerk!"

"Oh, he's polite and sincere and very hansome," said Demeter happily.

"And extremely boring," said Persephone. She took a pomegranate from the table next to her and swallowed some seeds. Pomegranates were her favorite fruit.

"You shouldn't say that about your future husband," said Demeter.

Persephone spit out the seeds she was eating, and stared at her mother in shock. "My future _husband_?" she exclaimed, "What are you _talking __about_?"

"Um…well…I was planning on telling you….later today…" said Demeter, "You and Apollo are now engaged to be married."

Persephone couldn't believe what she was hearing. "So everything you told me this morning about how I didn't have to get married if I didn't want to…was a _lie_?"

"Well…it wasn't a lie _exactly_...that was only if I didn't find someone suitable for you," said Demeter.

"You could have at least _mentioned_ that!" snapped Persephone.

"Oh, don't worry about it, darling, I promise you'll like him. He's very proper—"

"I don't want proper!" wailed Persephone, "And I won't marry someone that I don't _love_!"

Apollo had come up to Demeter during all this. "Persephone, darling, just give me a chance. You won't know if you'll like me or not if you don't give it a try," he said gently.

Persephone recoiled, glared at him, and turned to her mother. "Please don't make me do this," she begged, "It's the last thing I want—please. Can't…can't I just wait until the right guy comes along, and…and then I could marry him and I'll be happy and you'll be happy!"

Demeter shrugged, "I'm sorry, Sephy, but this is what will happen. I've got people breathing down my neck to marry you off, and I simply can't wait for you to find someone. We'll talk with Zeus about when your wedding will be."

Persephone stared at the both of them in horror, too angry to bother to correct her mother about calling her 'Sephy'. "You can't make me go through with this," she hissed, "I will _not_ marry Apollo!" She turned on her heel and stormed off.

Demeter shook her head sadly. "I don't know what I'm going to do with her," she said.

Apollo shrugged. "It'll be alright…lots of people get cold feet before a marriage," he said consolingly. Though he wasn't in love with Persephone like others were, he understood that Persephone had to marry someone someday, and he was willing to be help out. Apollo really was a gentle guy with everyone's best interests at heart…however, it wasn't wise to disagree with Demeter.

"I know, but... something makes me think that it's not just cold feet," said Demeter, "Hmm... Apollo...even if she refuses, I want you to marry her anyway. She'll understand it's for the best."

Apollo shrugged and nodded.

* * *

"I can't believe….I'm going to have to marry…Apollo…" sobbed Persephone, aware that she was talking to herself and yet not caring. She was on the floor besides a pillar, crying softly. Apollo was a nice guy, but she didn't want to _marry _him, for Zeus' sake. And her mother could have at least told her beforehand. Or given her just a _little_ bit more control in the decision.

"I can't go through with this…I won't go through with this…" said Persephone, and she stood up, determined. "No matter what it takes, I _won't _go through with this!"

She leaned against the pillar with a scowl on her face. "There's gotta be someone..._somewhere _for me..."

Hades chose that moment to appear at the gates.

* * *

"Hades!" gasped Demeter, and she immediantly poofed to her daughter and grabbed her, locking her arms around her.

"Mom!" cried Persephone, embarrassed, "What are you _doing_?"

Demeter shook her head urgently, staring in hatred at the one god she didn't want her daughter to go anywhere near, let alone be spotted by.

Persephone followed her gaze. Hmm…she had never seen him before. _Kind of creepy_, she mused, _And is that—is that _fire_ on his head?_

The minute Hades had walked through the gates, all festivities had stopped. Now, whispers of, 'who invited him?' rippled through the crowd.

Zeus gave everyone stern looks. "A family reunion means no-one, not even Hades, is left out."

Persephone shuddered at the name. Hades. Now she remembered. He was Zeus and Poseidon's little brother; the psychopath who kept trying to take over Mt. Olympus.

Zeus wrapped Hades in a hug. "Am I glad to see you!" he said cheerfully, "I didn't think you were coming!"

Hades pried Zeus' hands away from him. "Yeah, well...'by order of Zeus' is 'by order of Zeus'," he said flatly.

"How are the dead guys?" said Zeus with a smile.

Hades narrowed his eyes. "Still dead. Listen, ah, when is this going to be over, 'cuz, I have a... busy schedule-"

"Loosen up, Hades. Join the celebration!" said Zeus, motioning to all the gods.

"Yeah. I'd rather not. So, yeah, I'm just gonna, like go over here now..." Hades swirled over to a column and settled for glowering at the crowd. After a second or two, everyone resumed partying.

Demeter still kept Persephone wrapped tightly in her arms, not wanting anything to happen to her, and eyeing Hades furiously. _He better not go __near my baby girl... _she thought, anger boiling, and Persephone just sighed in Demeter's grip._  
_


	4. Part 4: Chapter III

**_This_ Persephone is MINE. Anyone who uses them without my permission gets attacked by Cerberus.**

**Everything/everyone else belongs to Disney. Use 'em at your own risk.**

**_The REAL Cosmic Couple_**

Chapter III- Hades Meets Persephone

Hades observed the crowd with very mild interest. Lots of gods. Lots of them were new to him. _I suppose…_he reflected, _that when you're away from Mt. Olympus for as long as I've been, things _do_ change, don't they?_

* * *

"Mother…you can let _go _of me now," said Persephone. She struggled to get away from her mother, and failed.

Demeter didn't answer straightaway.

"Hello?" said Persephone impatiently, "I _said_ you can let me g—"

"I will not let go of you until _he_ leaves," said Demeter sternly, "I don't trust him...that no-good lousy son-of-a—"

"What's so bad about him? I mean, sure, he's tried to take over Mt. Olympus, like, a million times, but so what? He's not dangerous, or anything, right? I mean, come on…"

"Don't be ridiculous," snapped Demeter, "Of course he's dangerous. I'll explain everything to you when we get home."

Persephone sighed. "Please let me go now."

Demeter shook her head, and Persephone sighed again. There _was_ one perk to marrying Apollo…she wouldn't have to deal with her mother anymore. Sheesh.

* * *

"People…more people…random goddess…random god…cherub…ugh." Hades was bored. It was just how he had expected it to be—everyone fussed over everyone else and totally ignored him. He would have liked to just leave then and there, but the Fates had actually intrigued him. He was going to meet a girl? Here? When? And what would happen when he met her? The possibilities were endless—and keeping him here.

"Oy…I'm so gullible," he muttered to himself. Knowing the Fates (and he had known them…for a long time), they were probably playing one of their weird tricks on him. The girl would be someone he already knew—Hera, Athena, Aphrodite, Demeter—and he'd just probably get in some fight with her.

_But there's a possibility,_ said a voice in his head, _that it's _not_ a trick, right? _Hades shook his head rapidly, as if to shake away the voice.

"That's _stupid_," he said to the voice, "When have the Fates ever done anything _for_ me?"

The voice in his head relented, and he turned to leave…

…and found himself tangled in flowers. He exploded in shocked fury, and then realized that he hadn't been attacked—he had just bumped into one of the decorations. On a more careful notice, he saw that all of Olympus had these flowery vines and displays cast around.

"Some decorating committee," he muttered, "Jeez, I wonder how many nymphs died to put together this arrangement?"

Just then Zeus' voice rang through the area.

"**If I could have your attention, please," **called Zeus loudly. Everyone stopped talking.

"**First off I'd like to thank you all for coming, and I hope you all had fun…I know **_**I**_** did!"**

Hades zoned out. His brother wasn't exactly the most talented speech-giver and Hades was bored anyway. "Yup, so the 'party' is over…and whaddya ya know, the Fates did it again."

_Not true. The party isn't _over_ over yet. It's just near the end,_ said that little voice that was starting to give him a headache. He chose to ignore it, and instead zoned back in just as Zeus was saying,

"…**any comments? Compliments? Complaints? We're open for suggestions!"**

"Yeah, I have one," said Hades, and he stepped next to Zeus with a scowl. All of Olympus rolled their eyes. "Who was in charge of decorations? I mean…flowers? Everywhere? Not _everyone_ likes _flowers_, ya know."

"I think they're lovely," said Zeus cheerfully, "What's wrong with them?"

"What's wrong with them?" said Hades, "What isn't? I _hate_ flowers! Ugh! Nasty little pieces of garbage that nobody needs," he growled.

Persephone's eyes flashed. "Why you little—"

"I wonder what stupid yutz made flowers. What a moron. Whatever stupid brat made flowers must have absolutely nothing better to do with their lives….." Hades continued, his hair starting to turn red.

"You lousy flame-headed piece of crabgrass!" hissed Persephone.

"Seriously, what_ genius _is in charge of making flowers bloom? I'd like to give them a piece of my mind, for creating such stupid little—"

"That would be me," said Persephone, and she broke free of her mother and stepped over to him, furious.

"Persephone!" whispered Demeter urgently.

"You—" And then he froze. This was the girl. This was the girl he was supposed to meet—he knew it. _Oh, man, oh man oh man this is _not_ good, so not good…_

"You wanted to give me a piece of your mind. So give. Or are you just going to stand there all night?" snapped Persephone, crossing her arms.

Hades didn't move, staring at her. He wanted to give her a piece of his mind. But his mind had turned to mush. He couldn't think…

"Helloooo?" said Persephone impatiently.

"I…I…um….," stammered Hades, blinking a million times to try and clear his senses. This was not good. This was NOT good. He was Hades. He was the Lord of the Dead. He was a villain. He was evil. He was NOT supposed to be rendered speechless by a girl. A flowery, _pink_ Olympian girl... but a really, really, really, pretty girl, who was drop-dead gorgeous - no pun intended. _Damn damn damn damn damn…this is not good, damn damn damn damn…_

"The Fates," he murmured. Persephone looked at him like he was insane.

"Excuse me?"

"The Fates were right…I will meet a girl…and I will…and I will..." The pieces clicked into place. It made sense. "And I will fall in love…" he whispered the last part, finally realizing what Clotho had been going to say.

Persephone raised an eyebrow. "If you're talking to me, it might help if I could actually _hear_ you…" she said, and he blinked.

_Come up with a good comeback, come on come on come on come on, get ahold of yourself!_ But he couldn't—he couldn't take his eyes off her. He couldn't say a word. So, at a loss, he disappeared.

"Hmm…weird," said Persephone. She shrugged and turned away. "Serves him right for saying that about _my_ flowers…"

* * *

~Author's Note~ WOW, I feel stupid. Thank you, Much Ado About Nonny, for letting me know that I reuploaded the previous chapter instead of this one. I apologize to anyone who I confused.


	5. Part 5: Chapter IV

**_This_ Persephone is MINE. Anyone who uses them without my permission gets attacked by Cerberus.**

**Everything/everyone else belongs to Disney. Use 'em at your own risk.**

**_The REAL Cosmic Couple_**

Chapter IV- Hades Goes Ballistic and Persephone gets a Warning

Hades didn't go straight to the Underworld when he left Mt. Olympus. He went straight to the Fates.

"ATROPOS! LACHESIS! CLOTHO! COME OUT, YOU THREE WRINKLED OLD CRONES, COME OUT RIGHT THIS SECOND, OR I WILL KNOCK THE DOOR DOWN, AND I'M NOT KIDDING!" screamed Hades, pounding on the door that led to their secret cave. They only _worked_ in the Underworld. They lived somewhere totally different.

"Calm down, calm down," said Clotho appearing by the door, "You're going to deafen someone."

"You can bet your slimy little eyeball I'm going to deafen someone," growled Hades, as Lachesis and Atropos came up to stand beside their sister, "I will scream so loud all of you will go deaf, unless you tell me RIGHT NOW what I want to know!"

Atropos shrugged, "Fine, fine, come inside, and we'll tell you everything you want to know about Persephone."

"Thank you," sighed Hades, then blinked, "Wait—Persephone is her name? Ok…ok, got it…"

They looked at him. He sighed again, and followed them inside.

"She's the Goddess of Spring," said Lachesis. Hades glanced around him. There were pictures of eyes everywhere.

"Goddess of Spring…'kay."

"She's not like the other goddesses—very independent. Very rebellious," added Clotho.

"She's do anything to get away from her mother, Demeter, who is very overprotective," said Atropos.

"Rebellious," repeated Hades, "Her mother is overprotective. Her mother is—wait—her mother is DEMETER!"

The Fates nodded.

Hades was at a loss. "How?"

Atropos looked at him. "Whaddya mean, how?"

"How the heck—jeez, lucky kid…she doesn't look _anything_ like Demeter," said Hades.

Lachesis crossed her arms. "Are you done?"

Hades reluctantly nodded. "Yes…" he grumbled.

He stood up, and began to pace. Clotho grabbed the eye from Atropos.

"You are in love, Hades," she said,

He groaned. "Wonderful," he said sarcastically, "Ya know, this is really going to screw up my villainous image…."

He immediately left the Fates' house to get his head straight. He still couldn't get Persephone out of his head. "This is _not_ good," he said to himself, "I have to try to forget her. I can_not_ be in love. I will not be in love. Cannot, will not, cannot, will not..."

* * *

"Persephone! What were you thinking? Are you crazy?" cried Demeter as they left the reunion. Persephone blushed and looked down.

"Mother, I'm sorry, but he just—"

"I don't care, Sephy, he's dangerous! He could have seriously hurt you!"

"Mom, don't call me SEPHY! And… I'm more likely to hurt him. Talking about me like that..." Persephone scoffed. To herself she added, "I'm sure his mother is telling him that I'm dangerous."

"Per_seph_one." Oops. She had heard.

"Mom…" said Persephone, "He was insulting me. My work. Do you _know_ how hard I work each year to make everything bloom? And this guy has the nerve to insult me? When I'm right there? I wasn't about to sit there and let him talk about me like that!"

"He wasn't talking about you, Sephy…just…just your work." Demeter said, in an attempt to calm Persephone down.

"Don't call me Sephy…" growled Persephone, "And if someone insulted your harvest, you'd take personal offense, wouldn't you?"

Demeter sighed, "Yes, but—"

"So you would have done the same thing."

"Not if it was Hades insulting me!" cried Demeter, "We all hate him, but that doesn't mean that we can go around yelling at him like that! You could have gotten…you could have gotten burned!"

"What's so bad about this guy?" Persephone folded her arms and raised an eyebrow.

"He's rude, and mean, and nasty, and _evil_, and he's always trying to overthrow Mt. Olympus. He's—"

"Well, why does he keep trying to overthrow Olympus?"

"He doesn't like not being up there with all of us."

"So…he doesn't live on Mt. Olympus?" Well, that explained why she hadn't seen him before.

"No, he lives in—" Demeter stopped, "Why do you care?"

"I'm just wondering, Mom. I've never seen this guy before. Call it natural curiosity."

"Curiosity crushed the centaur," Demeter snapped.

"Fine, be that way." Persephone stormed off.

"I don't want to hear another word about him!" called Demeter. "Not another word! Do you hear me? You got that, Sephy? Not another WORD!"

Came the reply: "DON'T CALL ME SEPHY!"

* * *

"HADES!" screeched Demeter, at the entrance to the Underworld. Hades appeared a second later.

"Jeez, Demeter, you dislocated my eardrum," he complained, but then was yanked down to her level. She had grabbed him by the collar.

"You listen, and you listen NOW," she hissed, "You stay away from my Sephy."

"…..Sephy?...who's…oh. Persephone, you mean. Funny story about that…"

"Do you understand?" said Demeter fiercely, "Touch her, look at her, BREATHE near her…and I personally will see to it that you are punished severely."

Hades looked at her with some amusement. "I'm immortal."

"I know where you keep your supply of poison. The kind that turns immortals…mortal," she said curtly, then turned on her heel and walked away.

Hades stared after her, and then bolted to his supply of poison, to make sure the room was firmly locked.

* * *

Persephone went to her room and threw her headdress on the floor. Then she flopped down on the bed. "So I just wanted to know who that jerk was," she muttered, "But noooo…I can't even do that…maybe I should go to Athens. They have that democracy thing going on there…"

"Sephy?"

Persephone sat upright. "Mother…" she started to warn, but Demeter strode into the room anyway.

Demeter sat on the edge of the bed. "I took care of Hades. Don't worry; he'll never insult your flowers again."

Persephone smirked. "Oh really...he doesn't strike me as the type who changes his mind easily…what did you do?"

"I told him…not to bother you. Because then he'd have…um…me to deal with," Demeter lied.

Persephone tilted her head. "Oh. Well. Thank you."

Demeter smiled. "You're welcome, Sephy. Come down in an hour; you need to help me in the fields."

Persephone nodded. "Alright, Mother." She watched as Demeter walked out the door. "Oh, mother," she sighed once she was out of the room, "You're a terrible liar."

* * *

"Oy…" muttered Hades for the 37th time, pacing around the throne room.

Pain and Panic exchanged glances. "What's wrong with the boss?" Pain whispered to Panic.

Panic shrugged. "Maybe he had some bad ambrosia?"

Pain frowned as his smallish brain tried to register that. "I don't know…" he said finally.

They watched as Hades stormed around the throne room, mumbling to himself, and smashing things with fireballs. Panic ducked as one came his way. It singed the tips of his horns.

"I don't think that's it," said Pain finally.

In truth, Hades was just mad. At everyone. Mad at Cronus (his father) for swallowing him when he was born. Mad at Zeus for sticking him in the Underworld, while he got to be King of the Gods. Mad at Olympus for ignoring him all the time. But more recently, mad at the Fates for causing all this to happen. Mad at Demeter for having Persephone. Mad at Persephone for being so amazing captivating that he couldn't form a thought without thinking about her. And mad at himself for thinking so.

"ARRRRGGGHH!" he screamed, and Pain and Panic were instantly reduced to ash.

"I gotta do something. Something, anything, to get her out of my head, or…..or get her over here….." said Hades, still red-orange.

Pain and Panic reformed and looked at each other. "Her?" said Pain, "Did he just say…_her_?"

"Her as in a girl?" said Panic.

Hades ignored them, and slumped back in his throne.

"You met someone…like…like the Fates said you would!" cried Panic.

Again, Hades ignored them.

"Who is she?" said Pain.

Growing tired of their questioning, Hades relented. "Persephone."

"Persephone….," repeated Panic, "She's a goddess, right?"

"No, she's a satyr…..OF COURSE SHE'S A GODDESS, YOU STUPID PATHETIC YUTZ!" screamed Hades, flames dancing all over him. Pain and Panic shrank back in terror.

Hades rose from his throne. "I don't know what to do…I have to do _something. _Anything." He paced in a circle furiously. "But _what_?"


	6. Part 6: Chapter V

**Rhea and _this_ Persephone are MINE. Anyone who uses them without my permission gets attacked by Cerberus.**

**Everything/everyone else belongs to Disney. Use 'em at your own risk.**

**_The REAL Cosmic Couple_**

Chapter V-Hades Gets Advice and a Plan From a "Stranger"

"So…Hades finally found someone," said a woman—a titaness, actually. She had been watching him for years, now. And it was about time he found someone to love. She had talked to the Fates beforehand—actually, they had come to her, asking permission to 'set up' Hades with Persephone. Though they controlled everything, it was wise to stay on her good side. Naturally she had agreed, and had been keeping an extra special eye on him—only to notice that instead of taking direct action, he was lingering. He wanted badly to deny the obvious feelings he had for Persephone. And that was where _she_ came in.

* * *

"Boss…you can't keep doing this…you're going to go crazy," insisted Panic as they found Hades staring at his Tartarus Vision set—or TV, for short—yet again. And yet again, he was staring at Persephone. It had been like this for days on end.

"This isn't the best way to forget about her, is it?" said Pain.

Hades ignored both of them, and just sighed. "I _am_ going crazy…"

"Crazy for Persephone," whispered Pain to Panic, who snickered.

"I…I'm getting out of this pit…I'll be right back…" He vanished, stealing one last glance at the Tartarus Vision.

* * *

The titaness who had been watching him smiled. _My cue…_

* * *

Hades re-appeared on Earth—sitting on a bench to think about all of this. And all of this…was _not_ good. "Oh gods…I have to have a long talk with Cupid. Jeez…I just can't get her out of my head…"

"You really love her, don't you," said a voice next to him. Hades turned around, startled. On any other day, he would have zapped the hooded woman (or was it man?—the person's cloak covered all of their features), but today….something stopped him. It could have been the fact that he was madly in love, or the fact that he really wanted to tell someone everything. It also could have been the fact that the person sitting next to him was, with some sort of magic, preventing him from attacking her and keeping him calm instead. Hint, hint.

With a sigh, Hades said, "So much it's unhealthy."

"Hm…have you decided to do anything about it?"

Hades looked at her (he was positive it was a her) in surprise. "What do ya mean—what _can_ I do?"

The woman shrugged. "Anything."

Hades sighed again. "I don't have a chance with her…"

The woman looked at the sky. "The immortals are on your side this time, Hades," she said softly.

Hades blinked and looked at her. That voice sounded _very_ familiar…but he couldn't quite place it… it was as if someone was stopping him from remembering. Hint, hint again. "Yeah. And _when_ have the 'immortals' _ever _been on _my_ side?" The very thought made him want to laugh. It certainly was laughable.

"There's always been at least _one_ of them on your side," said the woman with a slight laugh, "There are so many of them—how can they all be against you?"

"I really wouldn't be surprised…" Hades remarked dryly.

The woman laughed again. "So, what are you going to do?"

"I don't want to do anything that would mess up my villainous image," said Hades, "So that kinda rules out all my options, huh?"

"That depends," said the woman, "on how you decide to win her over."

"Huh?" He blinked. "Do elaborate."

"Hearts and flowers aren't going to do anything," she said, then reconsidered. "Well…the flowers might."

"I am _not_ giving _anyone_ flowers _ever_," snapped Hades, "So you can ditch that plan."

"You could always try something…something a little different. Something that'll get her to you….but still make you appear as a villain," she said.

Hades' eyes widened. "I couldn't do that."

"Why not?"

"I'm already on thin ice with the whole 'I hate flowers' thing. If I do anything like that, anything that'll make her mad….well…..the ice cracks, and I'm in the water."

The woman shrugged. "Your decision." She waited five seconds…four…three…two…one…

"What if," started Hades.

_Aha. Right on schedule._

"What if…I…kidnapped her?"

"Well, it'd certainly gain you points for originality."

"If I kidnap her….her mother would never think to look in the Underworld…..it would be, y'know, evil and stuff…..and she'd be all mine…" Hades was beginning to smirk.

The woman smiled—barely visible under her hood.

"Yes! That's what I'll do—it's genius! But of course…..I will ask her first…she says yes, well, that's just swell. But if she says no….eh, tough for her," said Hades, standing up and smirking even more. This was perfect.

"Go ahead," said the woman, also standing up, "I'm positive the Fates are on your side this time—good luck, Hades."

That voice made him freeze. Whatever it was that had been blocking his memory lifted and he suddenly realized who the woman was. He turned to confront her—

—and found she had disappeared. The only trace of her was her cloak.

Staring at it, the corners of his mouth turned up in a smile. "Mom…"

* * *

Rhea the titaness, ex-wife of Cronus, and mother to six of the Olympian gods, watched her son fondly from up in her palace in Crete. Through she wasn't as in touch with her children as much as she should have been, she was always watching over them—especially her youngest, Hades. Though a mother was supposed to love all her children equally, Hades had always been her favorite out of the six. He really was a sweetheart, even if he did have the tendency to act…evil sometimes. And, yes, he had been the only one of her children besides Poseidon not to inherit her red hair (she had _no _idea where the flames had come from.) But she loved him anyway.

With that said, she slid off the heavy cloth robe that had been covering her skin and other robe. Her skin, her iridescent silver skin, shimmered and reflected all sorts of colors. Her robe, equally as shimmery, was extremely long and trailed out from behind her. It was a deep, deep, navy blue/black, like the night sky, and the stars and the planets shone in it's folds. The elegant titaness brushed a stray lock of her long red hair - which shimmered the colors of all her children's shades of hair color except for Hades and Po-Po - and shot up to her normal height of 8 feet. She was taller then Hades, yes, when he was in his normal, mortal form. She was a titaness, after all.

Rhea sighed to herself. The Fates (and her) had worked out the entire plan beforehand. She desperately wanted to help Hades in...wooing Persephone, but...no. No. He'd have to do this on his own.

It wasn't her place to interfere.


	7. Part 7: Chapter VI

**Ianthe, Menthe, Admete, Leuce, and _this _Persephone are MINE. Anyone who uses them without my permission gets attacked by Cerberus.**

**Everything/everyone else belongs to Disney. Use 'em at your own risk.**

**_The REAL Cosmic Couple_**

Chapter VI- Hades Puts His Plan Into Action (~Part1~)

Hades instantly went home after his encounter with his mother (though for half the time he hadn't realized), taking her appearance as almost a sign that he and Persephone were meant to be. Even if it was against her will.

* * *

Pain and Panic watched Hades move around the Underworld, almost happy about something. It was the best mood he had been in since coming back from the family reunion, and while they were happy for him, they were worried.

"Looks like the boss has a plan," whispered Panic.

Pain nodded in agreement. "I think Persephone's in _huge_ trouble."

"Boss?" said Panic, "If we may be so bold to inquire…."

"What'cha gonna do about Persephone?" interrupted Pain happily. Obviously, Olympus take-over was being put on hold.

Hades turned to them with a huge smirk on his face. "Boys…" he said gleefully, "I've gotten a plan….a _great_ plan, mind you…one that _will not_ fail!" The blue flames on his head rose higher.

Pain and Panic dashed over to Hades. "What is it, Your Deviousness?"

Hades smirked even wider, and went over to his chessboard, already mapping out details in his head. "I'm gonna kidnap her," he said, smirking even _wider_.

Pain and Panic exchanged glances. "How evil!" said Pain.

"I couldn't come up with something as good as _that_!" agreed Panic. Strangely enough they were being sincere.

Hades rolled his eyes. "Aw, get outta here…go play with Charon, or something."

Pain and Panic looked at each other nervously, and then slunk out the door.

* * *

As soon as they were gone, Hades zapped his chessboard. In an instant, it was transformed into a model of the Underworld. All the little figurines were replaced with all the inhabitants of the Underworld—Pain, Panic, the Furies, Charon, the River Goddesses…himself. And next to the model of the Underworld was Persephone's field—the area where she was at least once a day. He had been watching her for so long that he was able to create accurate figurines of every single nymph, dryad, and Oceanid Persephone worked with, along with one of her mother, and, of course, one of her.

His figurine and Persephone's had been made so that, when placed together, their hands would join.

* * *

And so it went—everyday, Hades either watched Persephone, or worked on a plan to kidnap her and bring her down to the Underworld. It took a long time—months, actually. But he was positive that, for once, things would turn out his way.

* * *

As the day neared, the Fates spun everything in their tapestry carefully. They had planned this for years now—and though it would seem like Persephone was being…well…tortured, it was for the best. Or, at least, it would be.

But because they were using Persephone so harshly, they figured they could give her a little heads-up of what was coming. As a result, on the day the kidnapping was to be, she woke up with a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach, like something bad was goin g to happen.

As expected, she dismissed it. _Probably just a bad pomegranate…_

The Fates shrugged. Now the blame couldn't be placed on them—they _had_ warned her...in their own subtle way...

* * *

With her hands, Persephone tried to tame her blonde hair, which was sticking up in all directions.

"Sephy…" sing-songed Demeter, pushing open the door with her large green body, "Come on, we need to get out into the meadows early: those flowers don't bloom themselves, you know."

"I know, mother," said Persephone, with a hint of annoyance at her mom calling her Sephy again, "Let me just…well...my hair…"

"Here," said Demeter, and a branch that was shaped like a hairbrush appeared in her hand. She gave it to Persephone.

"Thank you." Persephone ran the brush through her hair a few times until it was sharply straight.

"I'll be in the fields," said Demeter and left the room.

Persephone set the brush down. "Oh…um…mom?" she said nervously. Demeter's head appeared back in the doorway.

"Yes?"

"Mother…..I was wondering…if…maybe…you could let me go by myself to the meadows today," said Persephone timidly. It was worth a shot….

Demeter froze. "_What?_"

Persephone looked at her hopefully, "I'm not going to be completely alone, I'll have all the nymphs, and I know my way around—"

"Absolutely not!" cried Demeter.

"Mother! Why not?"

"It's too dangerous. And you're too young to go wondering about by yourself!"

"I won't be by myself, though," protested Persephone, "Come on, please!"

"No."

"But, mother—"

"_No_."

Persephone scowled. "Fine. But if you wake up tomorrow and find me gone, don't be surprised."

Demeter laughed. "And just where will you go?"

Persephone ignored her and stormed out the door. Demeter followed her, and they got in the chariot, drawn by two giant Venus fly-traps.

* * *

After a few minutes of flying, they alighted on the soft grass on a fresh meadow. Persephone quickly hopped over the side, and whistled while Demeter started going about her work.

A few seconds passed. And then…

There was a loud noise, a shrill whistle in return to Persephone's. And then things began melting from trees, bushes, flowers, etc. Nymphs, dryads, oceanids.

From a little violet by Persephone's feet, a small figure emerged, clothed in all purple with purple hair and purple skin. She pushed her hair behind her pointed ears and smiled at Persephone.

"Hello, Ianthe," said Persephone, kneeling down so that she was eye-level with the toddler nymph.

" 'Ello, Seph," said Ianthe, tucking her purple hair behind her ears again.

Persephone looked around. "Ianthe, where's everyone else?"

She shrugged. "I dunno, Seph. I 'aven't seen a lot of 'em in a whiles."

A few more nymphs joined the two.

"Seph," said one with dark brown hair, and light green skin, with electric green eyes, "Admete's not coming out."

"What? Why?" said Persephone.

The green-eyed nymph shrugged. "She doesn't want to."

"Admete!" yelled Persephone, and a figure formed out of a pool of water. Bleary-eyed, she had bluish skin, and long blue-black hair.

"Seph, I can't work today," said Admete, "Someone dumped something into my pool of water yesterday, and I've been sick since then."

"Oh, all right," grumbled Persephone. She turned back to the nymph with green eyes as Admete melted back to water. "Menthe, anyone else?"

The green-eyed nymph whose name was apparently Menthe thought for a while. "Leuce isn't here," she said finally.

Persephone waved her hand absentmindedly. "I gave her the day off. Ok, we've got everyone covered. Go on to your posts; let me take care of this area." She watched the nymphs scatter, then went over to the far side of the meadow, creating as much distance between her and Demeter as possible. Soon it got so the two couldn't even see each other.

* * *

As she moved from flower to flower, opening buds, and causing weeds to die, she felt the presence of someone behind her. When she started to smell sulphur, she knew who it was before she even turned around.

"Funny you'd show up here," said Persephone, turning to face Hades, who was leaning up against a tree watching her with a smirk.

"And why is that?" he said calmly.

"You go on about how 'you hate flowers'…and then show up in a meadow. Is there another side of you we haven't seen?" she said, "Or are you just stalking me?"

"Ooh, someone's mad," said Hades, "Question—why are you so cranky today?"

Persephone's eyes flashed. "I've heard stories about you that don't exactly show off your good side…that is, if you have one."

"So polite you are," said Hades with a smirk, "I just _love_ how you show respect for strangers…"

Persephone rolled her eyes. "You're not a _stranger_."

Hades shrugged. "But do you know me well enough to consider me as anything else?"

"Point taken," said Persephone. She crossed her arms and faced him with a scowl. "What do you want?"

Hades shrugged again. "Just saying hi."

She smirked. "Cute. Really." She turned to her flowers again. "Now what do you really want?"

The smirk grew wider as he swirled over to her. "I know all about your little problem with your mom."

She tensed. "…What…little problem?" she said cautiously.

"Don't play dumb. She's so overprotective. She doesn't letcha go anywhere. She gives ya no freedom. She keeps ya under lock and key. She's forcing you to marry Apollo. Et cetera, et cetera, et cetera."

"How do you know that?" said Persephone.

"Hey. I've done my homework, babe."

"Don't call me babe," snapped Persephone.

"Would you rather I called you Sephy?"

Persephone grimaced. "Fine. You can call me babe."

Hades smirked at her again. "I can help you with your little problem, _babe_."

She scowled at him. "I'm not _stupid_, I know all about your little deals. I'm not selling my soul to you."

"I'm not asking you to sell your soul to me," said Hades, adding silently, _Although, I wish you would…_

"Then what do you want?" she snapped.

He held out his hands in a gesture of peace. "Hey, I just wanna help you out. No tricks." Yeah. No tricks _yet_.

Persephone laughed, surprising him. "Uh-huh. How would helping _me_ help _you_?"

"Huh?"

"Why would you want to help me if you didn't gain anything from it?"

_Damn, she's smart…_ "Here's the deal, babe. Me and you both know that you need to get away from yer mom and Mr. Sunshine. Right?"

Persephone turned back to him. "Get to the point. I'm not supposed to talk to you, nor do I want to, so make it quick."

"Ok, ok…sheesh…so. Here's what I'm proposing—if you run away…then mommy won't order you around, and you won't have to marry Apollo."

"Yeah. Then she finds me and I'm grounded for three centuries. Great plan."

Hades preteneded to think. "I see your point…but…aha! She'd never think to look for you in…"

He paused and looked at her.

"…in the Underworld."


	8. Part 8: Chapter VII

**Macaria and _this_ Persephone are MINE! Anyone who uses them without my permission gets attacked by Cerberus.**

**Hercules, Meg, Bob, and Hades all belong to Disney. Use them at your own risk.**

**_The REAL Cosmic Couple_**

Chapter VII- Hades Puts His Plan into Action (~Part2~)...and Suceeds

Persephone stared at him, stepping backwards. "The Underworld?" she repeated. "I—" She shook her head and narrowed her eyes. "Are you crazy? I would _never_ go into the Underworld." She stopped to consider his suggestion for a moment before continuing her little rant. "It wouldn't do much good…mom could still force me to marry Apollo…or someone even worse." She shuddered at the thought.

Hades nodded. "Hmm…you're right, babe…" He pretended to think hard, pacing in circles around her. She glared at him the entire time.

"But what if," he said, "you were already married?"

"What?" said Persephone, confused.

"If you were already married then you wouldn't have to marry Apollo…and you'd be away from yer mom—"

"But I don't _want_ to get married!"

He smirked. "Yes you do."

Persephone took a step backwards. "I—what?"

"Hey, I've been watching you for a while, babe…you want to get married….but you can't find someone who you want to marry."

She pointed an accusing finger at him. "You _have_ been stalking me!"

Hades shrugged. "Guilty as charged, I suppose. Anyway…about the marriage deal…"

"I won't marry anyone unless I love them," she said stubbornly.

He ignored that. "Here's what I'm thinking…run away and marry someone—someone that won't make it into a 'marriage' situation…just, I dunno…keep it, kinda, 'roommate-ish'—I mean, come on, as long as you're married, your mom can't do a thing—it won't matter if the 'marriage' is being treated as a 'marriage' or not."

She stared at him, her eyes narrowing even more. "Like who?"

Hades pretended to think again. Then finally he said, "…Like me, for example."

Persephone's eyes widened in shock. "_What_?" she shrieked, and jumped back, wide-eyed.

Hades winced at the volume, her voice ringing in his pointed ears. He raised an eyebrow. "I'll take it that's a no?"

"More like a 'no-not-in-this-lifetime'" snapped Persephone, "Get lost. Don't you have minions to fry?"

_Ya didn't have to be the Fates to see _that_ rejection coming…_ Hades thought, still keeping the smirk on his face. However, when she told him to get lost, he instead moved closer.

Persephone blinked, and turned around. "What are you doing?" she said cautiously.

He just shrugged. "Ya know, I kinda figured you'd say no…"

Persephone stayed still. "Uh-huh…"

"I came prepared," he said simply.

She stepped backwards, suspecting that whatever he was about to do, it would not be good. "Prepared?" the goddess of spring echoed.

"I knew you'd be wary accepting my offer...I decided to help you out a little." Hades raised his hand, and a long loop of smoke curled from his fingers, surrounding Persephone and swirling around her tightly, like a rope.

Persephone was now frozen in place—too petrified to scream or move or even fight back. _This isn't happening. This isn't happening. This isn't happening…_

When Hades' arm turned to smoke and lifted her up, she fainted dead away.

And Hades smirked. "The Kidnapping Method—works everytime…"

* * *

"AHA!" said Bob, "He DID kidnap her!"

"Well, duh—I didn't say he didn't," said Macaria, rolling her eyes.

"Just like Hades—kidnapping the 'girl of his dreams'. Or nightmares. Sheesh. What a _romantic_ approach…" said Meg.

Hercules clenched his fists. "Why weren't there any heroes around? That's—that's so unfair! He's gonna get away with it now!"

"Can you relax?" said Macaria, " Can _all_ of you relax? Hey—everything will turn out fine, trust me."

"Can you get on with the story?" said Bob, "I wanna hear what happens next!"

"There better be a hero in the next part…" grumbled Hercules.

"Alright, alright, don't get your toga in a twist…" said Macaria, giving her cousin a look, "Moving on…"

* * *

Persephone finally came to after a long time. Or so it seemed—because the background had changed drastically. Everything was black, spiky, or singed. The Underworld.

She tried to move and found that she was still tied up. Tied up and—holy Hera—gagged. Persephone strained against her bindings. She was tied to something behind her—a pole. No, not a pole. She managed to move her head to look. A bedpost. Attached to a bed, which was the only item in a completely bare room. There weren't even any windows.

She pulled against her bindings as hard as she could. The gag (something that was the color of smoke, but felt like cloth) was looped around her mouth, and looped around the bedpost, so she couldn't really move her head. The ropes around her were also tied tightly to the post.

Then she became aware of someone else in the room with her; Hades, standing in the corner, watching her every move. Persephone stopped struggling and stared at him with such hatred that she could have sworn she saw him wince, if only briefly.

In a poof of smoke, he was next to her. "Comfortable?" he sneered and she cursed at him. With some difficulty, because of the cloth around her mouth. It came out as something more like, "Mmmph, mmm!"

He chuckled. "Temper, _temper _now, Sephy."

She cursed at him again.

Glad to see you're so cheerful," he said, then swirled over to the other side of the room.

"Ok, babe, here's the deal. This—" He gestured around him "—is your new room. Get used to it, 'cuz you're gonna be here for a while."

"Mm?"

"Get a good nights rest, _Sephy_, 'cuz we have a busy day tomorrow. My wedding day," said Hades with a smirk, "My wedding…and you're the bride."

Persephone's eyes widened, and she gasped under her gag, struggling desperately. "MMPH MM MMF MMM!"

"Sweet dreams," said Hades sweetly, and he closed the door, locking it behind him.


	9. Part 9: Chapter VIII

**_This_ Persephone is MINE! Anyone who uses her without my permission gets attacked by Cerberus...and Hades.**

**Every other character/place/whatever else belongs to Disney. Use them at your own risk.**

**_The REAL Cosmic Couple_**

Chapter VIII- Persephone Fights Back and Hades...Well...Doesn't Care

Persephone stared after Hades in silent horror, then pulled as hard as she could until the ropes around her snapped and she fell on the floor. She stood up quickly, and snapped her fingers, trying to poof away. A few seconds of silence passed - nothing happened.

"He must've blocked the teleportation magic from me," Persephone muttered and ran to the door, twisting the doorknob, trying to get out. But it was no use. Even she, with her goddess strength, couldn't open the door without the key.

"Oh gods…" she whispered, and fell back in the floor, the horror of what had just happened sinking in.

"I'm getting _married _to…to…to…oh gods…to Hades," she said, "Oh my gods…what…I have to get out of here."

She jumped up and began feeling the walls, looking for a secret passage or trapdoor or anything that would help her escape. When she found nothing with her hands, two long vines adorned with tiny pink flowers sprung out, and began helping her search.

"I can't believe this," Persephone said finally, after nothing was found, "This can't be happening. It _can't _be happening."

She started to pound on the door. "LET ME OUT OF HERE!" she screamed, "LET ME OUT NOW!"

"I don't think so, Sephy!" said Hades calmly. She could tell from his tone that he was smirking at her, even though she couldn't see it.

"DON'T CALL ME SEPHY!" shrieked Persephone.

"I don't think that's up to you," Hades said.

Persephone stepped back, a little shocked as she realized that now she had literally no rights. And if she had no say in anything in the Underworld, that meant that…..after she and Hades were…married….what could he do to her?

"My gods..." she whispered and collapsed on the bed. He could do anything he wanted to her now. What would Demeter think if she found out that—

"Mother!" cried Persephone. She had totally forgotten. "Mother is going to have a heart attack…..who knows what she'll think when she can't find me anywhere?" she said aloud.

This was not good. Demeter was going to have a nervous breakdown. Her precious baby, gone? She wouldn't even let her go anywhere alone; for fear that something would happen to her. And now that something had actually happened….

"Mother…" whispered Persephone, and instinctively she curled up in a ball on the all-black bed. A tear slid down her cheek. "I want to go home…"

* * *

What she didn't know was that a certain someone was standing right outside the door, listening to her. And that that certain someone had been very pleased with himself for successfully capturing her…..that is, until he heard her…..and now he was seriously considering letting her go. "Oy…" muttered Hades, and slunk away, before he did something crazy like releasing Persephone.

* * *

And Pain and Panic, who had been 'standing' next to him transformed into rocks, morphed back and exchanged glances. Never, ever had they seen Hades actually regret doing something to someone…..usually he just kinda drank in their pain and suffering. But now…

"I'm worried about the boss," whispered Pain to Panic, "I-I've never seen him like this before."

Panic shrugged, and twisted his horn nervously. "Me neither…d'ya think…that…that maybe he actually DOES love Persephone?"

Pain considered that, then burst out laughing. "Hades? Loving someone? Like, seriously LOVING someone? Pfft. Impossible."

Panic laughed too. "Can you imagine? You're right—maybe he's just torn between a few different types of eternal torment for her…"

"Yeah…" agreed Pain, and they walked away.

* * *

Persephone, meanwhile, ended up crying herself to sleep that night.

* * *

The next morning, Persephone awoke to Hades standing over her bed, with a smirk on his face. She yelped, and fell out the other side, crumpled on the floor and blinking.

"Glad to see you're all nice and calm," said Hades, and he leaned against the bare wall.

"What do you want now?" said Persephone and she inched up against the opposite wall, as far away from him as she could.

"Have you forgotten?" said Hades, "Today's our wedding day." The smirk grew even wider.

Persephone gasped. "I…" She paused. "You can't marry me. I'm engaged," she said suddenly and folded her arms.

"Uh-huh. All of a sudden you love Apollo?"

Persephone scowled. "Forget that. You can't make me do anything."

"Oh, can't I?"

"No. You can't," she said, and a long rose vine shot out of the ground, complete with thorns, and grabbed him by the arms. His eyes opened wide as the vine threw him to the ground. When the thorny rope lifted, little dots of ichor (the golden blood of the gods) poked out in all the places where the thorns had pricked him.

He winced and then stood up, slowly turning red. "Why you little—" he growled, but one look at her amazing face calmed him down.

"Ya know what? Fine. Be that way. But…this is happening….whether you like it or _not_," he said, and snapped his fingers. Instantly, the yellow chiton she had been wearing turned into to something black and much more elaborate—an Underworld styled wedding dress. She gasped.

"Ya like?" he said.

"_What_? I—no—you—you can't—n-not if I don't—no…." sputtered Persephone, looking down at herself. She was at a loss. What could she say? What could she _do_?

Suddenly, two little…things were at her side, tying her hands behind her back.

She looked down to see two imps, a skinny turquoise one, and a fat magenta one.

"Sephy…meet my minions, Pain and Panic," said Hades semi-fondly.

"Don't call me _Sephy_," she growled as Pain and Panic waved and tightened the rope around her hands. She winced. As Pain and Panic stopped and stared at her wide-eyed, not wanting to seriously hurt her, she broke away from them and made a dash for the exit

Panic looked at Pain. "Oops."

In a flash Hades was in front of the door, blocking Persephone. "I don't _think _so," he said, and grabbed her tied wrists. He glared at Pain and Panic, and pushed her out the door.

"Let me go," she hissed, trying to break free.

"After that stunt you just pulled? Sorry, babe, not happening."

Persephone scowled and tried to pull away from him.

"Relax, _Sephy_, it could be worse," said Hades with a smirk.

She glared at him when he called her Sephy, then said, "Oh yeah? How?"

He smirked again, then let her go. A second later, he grabbed her ankles and tipped her upside-down. "I could be carrying you like this."

"PUT ME DOWN!" squawked Persephone, trying to keep her dress from falling down.

"I don't think you want me to do that."

"YES! YES I DO!"

"Fine."

He let her ankles go, and she dropped to the floor.

"Hey!"

Hades shrugged as his smirk returned. "You asked me to let you go. Jeez. Make up your mind…"

"I hate you…" she growled

"Well. Aren't you sweet."

He grabbed her wrists again, and almost dragged her for the rest of the way.


	10. Part 10: Chapter IX

**_This_ Persephone, Menthe, and Ianthe are MINE! Anyone who uses them without my permission gets attacked by Cerberus.**

**Every other character/place/whatever else belongs to Disney. Use them at your own risk.**

**_The REAL Cosmic Couple_**

Chapter IX- Hades Lies and Hecate Comes Into the Picture

"I'd say that went well," reflected Panic.

Hades shrugged. "I'm just lucky we decided to nix the kiss the bride part. She probably would have ripped off my lips."

Pain looked at Hades. "Should you go lock her in her room? 'Cuz she'll probably try to escape again….."

"Good point," he said, and vanished.

* * *

Persephone stormed into her 'room' and flopped on the bed, staring in disgust at the black skull shaped ring on her hand. She pulled it off and slammed it on the floor.

The ring popped back on her finger.

Persephone stared at it, then groaned. "A magic ring. Go figure…"

"Oh, Sephy…" called a way too familiar voice outside her door.

A few hundred daffodils shot out of the floor and blocked the door from opening.

"Hey! C'mon, babe, that's cheating…."

"So is _tricking_ me into saying I do," said Persephone, and the daffodils turned to thorny roses.

"Ya know what? Fine. Two can play at this game…."

The flowers were set on fire through the crack under the door, and they all crumpled to ash. Persephone sat straight up.

"HEY!"

"You asked for it," said Hades, and the door opened. He was leaning on the wall in a heartbeat.

"Get away from me," she growled.

"I'm your husband now, babe….I don't have to do anything."

"Just 'cuz you're my—" she gagged, "—husband doesn't mean you can order me around. And it doesn't mean that you can do whatever you want."

"It does so! This is my kingdom!"

"It's mine too!" said Persephone and she stood up in sudden realization. "I'm the Queen of the Underworld now!"

Hades smiled smugly. "So you admit it—you like being married to me."

Her eyes widened. "I do not!"

"Why not? You get to be Queen…..have minions…..get away from yer psychopathic mother…" Silently, he added, _You get to have someone love you every single day of every single week of every single month of every single year for all eternity… _He made a personal memo to murder Cupid.

"But I'm married to you. So that kinda crushes everything else," snapped Persephone.

Hades flared up, mostly to cover up that strange feeling he was feeling just then—hurt. "Watch it—I can throw you in the River Styx if I wanted to. Trust me. Not fun."

"Why do you even want to marry me?" screamed Persephone, "What are you gaining from this?"

Hades quickly thought of an excuse. "Everyone else is married—I wanted to be, too!"

She stared at him. "That's it?"

He shrugged. "Yeah."

"Then why me?"

"'Cuz you're the only one who didn't know me well enough to steer clear of me all the time…hey, when I find advantages, I use 'em."

"I hate you!" yelled Persephone.

"Oh, wow…_that _bothers me," he said sarcastically… but inside it did actually bother him.

"I'll hate you for the rest of my immortal life! Even if you let me go, I'll hate you, for doing this to me! My mother is Demeter—I'm _great_ at holding grudges!"

Hades rolled his eyes. "Ooh…as _devastated _as I am…I think I'll get over it. Nighty-night." He walked off, locking the door behind him, to go sulk on his throne.

Persephone clenched her fists, then got up and began pacing the room nervously. This couldn't get any worse—right?

* * *

"WHERE IS MY PERSEPHONE?" howled Demeter. A few nymphs gathered around her fell to the floor nervously.

"O Mighty Demeter," said one, "We wish you the b-best of luck in your search for your daughter—"

"I DON'T WANT LUCK! I WANT MY SEPHY BACK! WHERE IS SHE!"

There was whispering among the crowd.

"WHERE IS SHE?"

"Lady Demeter," said one, and she stepped forwards. It was Menthe. "We don't know where she is. But we found this."

Someone stepped up and handed Demeter something pink. Persephone's flower petal headdress. Demeter looked at it and began to cry.

"S-she said t-that she w-would r-run away," Demeter sobbed, "I-I didn't believe h-her… and n-now she's g-gone…"

Ianthe started to cry, too.

Menthe bit her lip. "Lady Demeter….maybe there's someone that can help us…."

"I've already g-gotten all the gods and goddesses to search for her…..and no-one's found anything. W-who else c-can help?" sniffled Demeter, and the headdress fell to the ground.

"Are you sure you've gotten everyone?" said Menthe.

"Everyone except for Hades and N-Nemesis, I think…But that's okay. It's fine. I don't want him helping. And Nemesis is t-too busy."

"No…you're missing someone," corrected a voice, and someone emerged from the shadows.

"Yes," agreed Menthe, sounding a little nervous, "Hecate can help."

"Hecate!" gasped Demeter, "Don't tell me that _you _know where Persephone is?"

Hecate shrugged. "Not a clue. Yet, that is. I plan to search everywhere, places where only I, as Witch Queen of the Night, can search."

"I don't know….how can I be sure that I can trust you?" said Demeter doubtfully. Hecate looked like a female Hades, and surely at times acted like one. Could she really be trusted?

"You do want to find Persephone, right?" said Hecate.

"Of course I do, but…"

"Then I will search for her."

"But—oh, all right. But bring someone with you. I don't trust you by yourself." Demeter looked around for a volunteer, but Hecate was quick to select her own.

"She will accompany me," said Hecate, and placed a hand on Menthe's shoulder, who shrunk away, wide-eyed.

"Me?" gasped Menthe, "But—I can't! She…I…"

"You _were_ the one who suggested her, Menthe," pointed out Demeter.

"Ok. Ok. Fine. Just…just no dark places," relented Menthe with a shiver.

"Agreed," said Hecate. She whistled and two things flew down from the sky—her minions, talking wolves with huge wings. Nymphs screamed and ran in all directions. Menthe flinched.

"Come…Menthe, was it? Come, Menthe. We should start searching," said Hecate, and she, her wolves, and Menthe, disappeared.

"What a relief," Demeter sighed, "She should find Persephone. And all will be well again…but oh, how I miss her…."


	11. Part 11: Chapter X

**_This_ Persephone and Menthe are MINE! Anyone who uses them without my permission gets attacked by Cerberus, zapped by Hades and Hecate, and slapped by me.**

**Every other character/place/whatever else belongs to Disney. Use them at your own risk.**

**_The REAL Cosmic Couple_**

Chapter X- Hecate Reveals Her Plan and Hades Makes a Confession...

Hecate, her minions, and Menthe reappeared in the woods. "Nice acting," commented Hecate fondly to Menthe.

"Why, thank you, Hecate," said Menthe smoothly, all fear gone from her voice, "You _will_ keep your part of our deal, won't you?"

"Yes, yes," said Hecate, as if they had been through this many times before—which, in fact, they had, "Once I rule the Underworld, you can do what you want with Hades."

Menthe grinned. "Great. And, um…what exactly is finding Persephone going to do for us?"

"Well, once we find the little brat, we can use her to our advantage. You know Hades can't resist a pretty face…"

"So we'll get Persephone, keep her with us, use her to bribe Hades into giving you the Underworld….and then, once you're in charge, we give Persephone to her mother, I get Hades, and we're both happy. Right?"

"Exactly!" cried Hecate, "This plan can't possibly fail."

"Where do we fit in?" said one of the wolves, coming up to the nymph and goddess.

"Why…you and your partner will get to rule with me—my minions. My _royal _minions, of the Underworld," said Hecate.

"I like it…" said the other.

"Hecate—you're a genius," said the first one.

"I know—aren't I?" said Hecate, then scowled, "So let's find the teenager and get to work."

"What a pleasure it will be to have control over Persephone—after all these years of practically being her personal slave…" said Menthe, green eyes shining.

* * *

When Persephone woke up, she found the door ajar, and Pain and Panic standing in her 'room' watching her. She thought quickly, jumped over them, and ran out of the door.

"Oops," said Pain.

Persephone ran through the Underworld; the only thought on her mind was that she needed to escape. A few more feet and she came to the bank of the River Styx. Charon's boat was on the other end of the river, and she didn't have time to wait for him. "Oh gods," she sighed, exasperated, then went to run through the river. Something stopped her.

She looked behind her. Hades was standing there, his hand in front of her, keeping her from running any further. "As much as I appreciate you going for a nice run in the morning, running in the general direction of the exit is _not_ the best idea. Capisce, babe?"

She twisted away from him, recoiling at his touch. "I'm going to keep trying to escape until you let me go," she said angrily.

"Which is never going to happen, so at least you'll be in shape," he said, and pushed her away from the river. "If you're going to wade through rivers, might I recommend the Cocytus? It's lovely this time of year…"

"Either you let me go, or I'll get out on my own," said Persephone, "So pick one."

"How 'bout I tie you to the bedpost again and leave you like that for…oh…eternity maybe?" responded Hades, crossing his arms.

"I'll get out. I already did once. Nothing can hold me."

"Don't get cocky, dollface..."

"I'd like to see you try and keep me from running away."

He shrugged. "Fine. You asked." He snapped his fingers, and a coil of smoke wrapped around her body and mouth. She lost her balance and fell to the floor.

"Let's see you get outta this one," he muttered, then picked up the squirming Persephone and brought her back to her room. He dumped her on the bed, still tied up, and then left, making sure to lock the door behind him. When she was safely imprisoned, Hades dragged Pain and Panic (by their wings) to his throne room.

"What was that?" he growled at them.

"Um, well, she escaped, again, sir," said Pain nervously.

"…_Why_?"

"She's kinda fast for us…" said Panic.

"This is the second time she's bolted on your watch. I have her tied up on the bed now because you two can't keep an eye on her!"

"At least you caught her," said Panic.

"But that's the thing. I'm not going to be able to catch her every time she runs away. If this keeps up, she'll escape!"

"But why do you care so much?" inquired Pain.

"I—" Hades hesitated, "If she escapes, she'll tell her mother. And Zeus will kill me."

"That's not why," said Panic.

"Is so."

"Is not."

"Is so.

"Is not."

"Is SO!" screamed Hades, and he burst into flame. As he watched Pain and Panic cowering in front of him, he remembered Persephone crying on her first night here, and extinguished. "I don't know what to do," he said finally, "I can't let her go. It'll _kill _me. I'm too much in l—lo—lo—lov—you know. But I can't just keep her here miserable…..that's almost worse…it's like….I'm actually…feeling…not evil. I care… I-I actually care. And it's a horrible, painful feeling."

Pain and Panic exchanged worried glances.

"What am I going to do?" he groaned, "I can't stop thinking about her! Everything reminds me of her! _Everything!_ It's killing me from the inside! She's actually _here_, in a room just downstairs, and she's in my grasp! I could do whatever the hell I wanted with her - we're married" He stopped and stared at the floor. "But—I just—can't. I couldn't. The look on her face—and then any chance I had with her would go bye-bye. And she'd hate me. I couldn't hurt her like that… I don't—I don't know…"

Pain shrank back from this outburst. "Boss? Are you…feeling alright?"

"NO! I'm not feeling alright! I'm a—a—I'm a Persephaholic! Arrgh! I'm obsessed with her!" He vanished with a curl of smoke.

Pain and Panic looked at each other and smiled. "Maybe there's something we can do..."

* * *

"I can't believe it….," whispered Hecate, as she watched this entire scene between Pain, Panic, and Hades through a magic orb. Her mouth curved up in a smile. "This is great! Oho! This is _better _then great! This is SPECTACULAR!" she cackled, and skipped cheerfully over to Menthe, and her twin wolves.

"What's so funny?" said Menthe, "Did you find Persephone?"

"Oh, I found her, alright!" cried Hecate, "She's in the Underworld!"

"The Underworld?" said one of her wolves, "How'd she get there?"

"Hades _kidnapped _her!" said Hecate gleefully.

"What?" said Menthe, "Why?"

"He's—he's—oh, I can't! It's too funny!" She burst out laughing again. "The Lord of the Dead with—oh!—the Goddess of Spring! Oh! Ahahahahaha!"

"What? What?"

"Cupid's been busy…" cackled Hecate.

"You mean Hades is—"

"HADES IS IN LOVE!" screamed Hecate, and she collapsed in a fit of laughter again.

The wolves looked at each other, and then burst out laughing. Menthe's mouth dropped open. "He's in love with _her_?" she said, horrified, "That's not fair! I've been trying for _years _to get his attention, and nothing's ever worked! And then she, who doesn't even know who he is, gets his attention just like that? Hecate! Hold up your part of the deal! Get rid of her!"

Hecate stopped her maniacal laughter. "But why? Don't you see? This is perfect!"

"Perfect? _PERFECT_?"

"We can use her for a bargaining tool. _We_ kidnap her ….torture her a bit…lure our love-struck Hades to her….and exchange the Underworld for Persephone's freedom!"

"That's…that's…that's…that's perfect!"

"But what if he refuses?" asked a wolf.

"If he refuses, we give Persephone to her mother and squeal on Hades. And he'll get in so much trouble—maybe even to the extent of jail—that they'll give the Underworld to me! It's a win-win!"

"But if he's in jail, then you'll be breaking our deal," said Menthe bitterly.

"Hmm….if that happens….well….I could send both of you to the Underworld…which would be my kingdom then….and no-one would ever think to look for him there."

Menthe took a deep breath. "Fine."

"But—from what I just saw—we have to wait a little. She doesn't love him yet—and he's considering letting her go anyway. We have to wait until they're BOTH in love. As in, they'd do anything for each other. Complete, undying love," said Hecate.

"How long will that take?" said the other wolf.

"As long as it needs to," said Hecate and she began cackling again.


	12. Part 12: Chapter XI

**_This_ Persephone is MINE! Anyone who uses her without my permission gets attacked by Cerberus and zapped by Hades (he can be kinda possessive).**

**Every other character/place/whatever else belongs to Disney. Use them at your own risk.**

**_The REAL Cosmic Couple_**

Chapter XI-Pain and Panic Carry Out Their Plan and Hades Plays the Hero

"Are you sure we can do this?" said Panic, twitching slightly, "I mean, I know it's for the boss and all…"

Pain shushed him. "Do you want the Boss…and, um….the other Boss to hear us?"

Panic rolled his eyes. "Who cares if Persephone hears us? We're gonna knock her out anyway…"

"SHHH!" hissed Pain, "Come _on_, Hades is gonna hear us, and Hades is gonna _zap_ us…"

Panic blinked. Even though this whole thing had been his idea, he, being Panic, was having second thoughts. And when Panic has second thoughts…

…well, as of now, he was running in small circles and hyperventilating.

Pain rolled his eyes, and grabbed Panic by the horns. "Will you knock it off already?"

He took a deep breath. "Let's get this over with," he said, nervously.

Pain sighed. "You big baby, we've done worse….it's not like we're gonna seriously _hurt_ her. Just, ya know, knock her out…"

"And trap her above the Phlegethon River,"chimed Panic, reducing himself to a (semi-)calm state, "And the boss will come to save her…"

"And then she'll be happy…and he'll be happy she's happy…and she won't hate him…"

"Happy ending! Hades himself would have been proud of us…" cried Panic, jumping up.

Pain quickly clapped a claw over his mouth. "Shaddup! You'll get us caught! We have to do this _quietly_."

Panic nodded…

…and transformed into a hammer.

* * *

"BOSS!" Pain and Panic skidded to a stop in the throne room, where Hades was hunched over his chessboard with a scowl.

Hades turned to face them, red and flaming. The two shrank back instinctively. "This better be pretty friggin' important…" he snarled, making them back up even more.

Pain nodded frantically. "It is, it is!"

Hades rolled his eyes. "Lemme tell you something…important by _your_ standards is different then important by _my_ standards."

"But boss—"

The explosion that Hades gave off could have passed for a volcano. "I DON'T WANNA HEAR IT! GET LOST!"

Pain looked at Panic, who swallowed and went up to Hades, twisting one of his (I'll just call it a horn) horns. "Er…boss…it's…it's Persephone."

Hades froze in place. With some difficulty he turned and looked down at the two imps. "…Persephone?...don't tell me she _escaped_…"

"Oh no," reassured Pain, "It's just…well, we kinda…did something…"

Hades stared at them with growing horror. He found his voice (after quite a while). "…What…did…you…do?"

"To put this briefly," said Pain, "We knocked her unconscious and put her in one of the cages hanging over the Phlegethon River, ya know, the River of Fire—"

"I know!" snapped Hades. And then the realization of what Pain had just said hit him. "YOU DID _WHAT_ TO HER?" he screamed, "ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR MINDS?"

"She tried to escape again, so we thought we'd scare her into, like, _not_ escaping—"

"Those cages haven't been used in CENTURIES," he said, sounding panicky without trying to, "And do you know why? Because they're old and rusty…and they BREAK if any extra weight is added! Extra weight like ONE GODDESS OF SPRING KNOCKED OUT COLD BY YOU TWO!" Hades vanished abruptly, and Panic looked at Pain.

"And now…we _wait_…"

* * *

Arriving (just in the nick of time, as they say) at the raging Phlegethon River, Hades quickly looked over the dozens of rusty metal cages hanging from the cliffs.

"How the _hell_ did they manage to trap her here?" growled Hades to himself, still searching for Persephone.

Then he found her. Thankfully she had come to, and was now sitting in the middle of the cage, staring down at the water which wasn't actually water—it was fire.

Hades quickly appeared on the cliff from which she was hanging. Incredibly nervous, Hades managed to work some sarcasm and puns into his 'conversation.' "Hey, babe, how's it hanging?"

She looked up, startled, then looked back down with a scowl. "What the hell are you doing here?" she snapped.

"Ah, well, I'm just coming to, ya know, take a dip in the Phlegethon River, which I see you'll be doing in about fifteen minutes…"

"Very funny," she said grimly, "Beat it. I can get myself out of here. I don't want you near me."

He shrugged, "Suit yourself. You can swim in fire, right?"

Persephone looked down with a trace of nervousness. "Um…"

"No? Got yer floaties, then? Yer gonna need 'em…although, they might not do ya much good here…"

The cage she was in moved with a rusty creak and she gasped, clinging automatically to the bars (she didn't see nor hear it, but Hades gasped, too). "You're a sick person, ya know that?" Persephone snapped.

Hades raised an eyebrow. "Yeah? How so?"

"Do you think I'm stupid?" she hissed, "Did you think I wouldn't figure out that you set this whole thing up?"

Hades stared at her. "_Me_?"

"_You_ got Pain and Panic to put me in here so you could swoop in and play Superhero," she said angrily, "You've got problems! Serious problems!"

Hades couldn't help himself. "Are you out of your _mind_? I would _never_ do _anything_ like that to you!"

"Then why am I here?" she screamed.

"Seems Pain and Panic decided to play matchmaker…" he said to himself and out loud he said , "Because THEY have 'problems.'"

"I—" Persephone's voice broke off as the chain holding her cage above the river creaked dangerously. Hades looked up quickly, only to see that—

—_the chain was breaking._

"H-Hades…" said Persephone shakily, "I... changed my mind…c-can you get me out of—"

Hades gave a nod and began to think of how he could do this. He had the ability to levitate whilst Persephone didn't—he was older and therefore more experienced with his 'godly powers' then Persephone was. Of course, there was the chance that he could screw up while 'rescuing' her, and that would mean he would take a fifty foot fall into a river made up of fire. It wouldn't kill him (he was immortal) but it would hurt. A _lot. _On the other hand, if Persephone fell…

_Fine. Levitation it is, _he thought inwardly, took a deep breath, and walked straight off the cliff. To his immense relief, he didn't fall.

Persephone stared at Hades, who was now standing on literally nothing. "How…how are you doing that?" she breathed, awestruck.

Hades smirked. "Magic, babe…helps to be a god, huh?" The chain holding her creaked again, and with horror he noted that the crack was even bigger.

Hades walked (it was really more of a run) over to her cage and examined it carefully. Hmm…he could easily break through one of the bars (he _was_ a god, after all), but that might mean that the rest of the cage would crumble to bits. And Persephone—

_Whoa, whoa, whoa, don't even go there…think happy thoughts, think happy thoughts…_, he thought desperately.

The river below them gave off something like a fireball. Persephone pressed back against the bars with a frightened gasp.

_Damn, damn, damn…_The chain creaked again, and the crack grew bigger. _Damn…_ "Persephone?" said Hades.

She looked at him questioningly.

"You wanna get out of here?"

She gave him a look. "Well, _duh._"

"Grab my hand."

"…Why?"

Hades sighed. "I'm gonna break through these bars, and if something goes wrong, you're gonna go tumbling downwards into that river. And trust me…neither of us wanna see that."

"But—"

"And at least I could do is keep you from falling." He held out his hand. "Come on, babe, this chain ain't gonna keep whole for much longer."

As the chain creaked again, Persephone grabbed his hand.

"Hold on, babe…" He rammed one hand into a bar and it smashed. And so did the one next to it. And the one next to it. And the entire cage, leaving Persephone literally dangling fifty feet above the Phlegethon; the only thing keeping her from falling was that she was holding tightly to Hades' hand, and he was doing the same.

"Hades…" said Persephone, unable to keep the note of panic out of her voice.

"Told ya so, didn't I?" he said with a smirk, "Come on, babe, let's get you outta here before something worse happens…"

Persephone gave him a dry look as he picked her up and started to walk back to the cliff. "Like what?"

Hades gave a nervous smirk. "Like my levitation going haywire. In which case, we would _both_ go plummeting down to the river."

Persephone looked down with wide-eyes and then back to Hades. "That can't happen…right?"

"I learned the hard way that, yes, it can happen," he said grimly.

"Do I wanna know?"

"…I _really_ don't think so…"

They were silent for a few seconds as he reached the cliff and set her on her feet. She looked at him. "Hades?"

"Yeah?"

"When you kill Pain and Panic for doing this to me…"

"Yeah?"

Her expression grew dark. "…I wanna help you."


	13. Part 13: Chapter XII

**_This _Persephone is MINE! Anyone who uses her without my permission gets attacked by Cerberus and zapped by Hades (he can be kinda possessive).**

**Every other character/place/whatever else belongs to Disney. Use them at your own risk.**

**_The REAL Cosmic Couple_**

Chapter XII--Persephone and Hades Punish the Imps and Demeter Pleads to Zeus

"It worked?" said Pain incredulously, "I can't believe it worked!" He had been eager to help out, but doubtful it would actually work.

"Told ya so," said Panic smugly, "Pay up."

Pain sighed, and all but threw fifteen drachmas at his skinny turquoise counterpart. "Happy now?"

"Very," said Panic, counting his money and smirking.

"PAIN! PANIC!"

The two imps exchanged worried looks. This…would be the downside of their plan.

* * *

"Let's recap on this," said Meg, trying to stifle her laughter, "Hades falls in love with the goddess of _spring_…kidnaps her because he's a 'Persephaholic'…then ends up acting like the hero and more or less saves her life."

Macaria nodded, chin in hand, already sensing where this was going.

Meg burst out laughing. "Seriously? This is the most un-Hades-like story I've EVER heard!"

Hercules looked at her, then shrugged at Macaria. "She has a point."

"I have to agree with her," added Bob.

Macaria buried her face in her hands. "I swear, if you three don't stop interrupting me, I'm gonna get my _parents_ over here and trust me, they do NOT like to be disturbed." She flared up briefly, and scowled at them. "Especially not when they're together."

Hercules made a face. "…Doing…what, exactly?"

Meg made a gagging noise.

Macaria gave both of them sharp looks. "Aw, shaddup. Watch it, Wonderboy…I tend to ignore it most of the time, but I _was_ born with the Hercules-hating gene…"

Hercules gave a reluctant nod. Hades was bad enough to deal with. Hades and his daughter could actually be _too_ much.

"And on to the story we go…" said Macaria.

* * *

"Can I just ask one teensy, tiny little question?" said Hades. He was bright orange, but had managed to control his temper so far. Persephone was standing next to him, arms folded, a scowl on her face.

Pain swallowed. "Ask away, Your Morbid-ness," he said timidly.

Hades exploded. "WHAT IN THE UNDERWORLD WERE YOU _THINKING_?!"

"We just thought that it was what _you_ would do," said Panic just as nervously, adding a 'sir' at the end for good measure.

"Oh, what I would do…well then…I SWEAR IT, I'M GONNA BLAST YOU INTO THE RENAISSANCE AGES!" he screamed.

"Boss…you wouldn't attack us…w-with a lady here, would you?" he said, casting a glance in Persephone's direction.

"On the contrary," said Persephone, "I'll be _helping_ him."

"Don't be silly…you can't zap us…" said Panic.

"No…but I can do _this_," she snapped, and with a wave of her arm, two twin vines leapt out of the ground and wrapped around Pain and Panic's throats.

Hades looked at her in approval. "Nice."

She didn't answer; she was too busy strangling the imps.

"Can't….breathe…need…air…" Panic choked out.

"Oxygen…" Pain managed to croak.

_What a girl…_Hades thought to himself, looking at Persephone again. Jeez, she really looked hot when she was angry…

"Having fun?" he said to her.

Persephone shrugged. "I can understand why you do this to them all the time…it certainly is entertaining…"

"Well, what can I tell ya? They're like little punching bags…" said Hades with a smirk.

Persephone turned to him, without releasing Pain and Panic. "Hades…I…well…thanks for, like…rescuing me…" she said shyly, looking at the floor.

Hades shrugged. "Ah, don't mention it…I couldn't just, ya know, leave ya hanging there…and I didn't want you to hurt yourself or anything…"

"Thank you," said Persephone, softly.

Hades shrugged again, unable to keep the smile/smirk from spreading across his face.

That is, until Persephone grabbed him by the collar and yanked him sharply down to her, jerking him off balance and causing him to stumble. "But _don't_ think this is gonna change a thing between us…" she snapped, "I may be your wife and you may be my husband and I may have been forced into this whole thing…but no-one said I had to _like_ it!"

With that said, she released him (he tripped and fell on the floor), and stormed off, calling off her vines at the same time.

Hades stared after her from his spot on the floor. "_Oy, _what a babe," he sighed happily.

A squeak from Pain over behind him jerked him back to reality. He quickly stood up and advanced on them menacingly.

"B-boss?" said Panic.

"You…NUMBSKULLS!" he yelled, flaring up.

Pain laughed nervously.

"You've done some pretty stupid things before," said Hades, "And by pretty stupid….I mean _really_ stupid….but this…_this_…TOPS 'EM ALL OFF! ALL OF 'EM!" Two fireballs came spinning their way.

"S-sorry…" whimpered Panic.

They were both zapped again…and again…and again. "You'd _better_ be sorry," growled Hades, "If I hadn't gotten her _out of there _in time—" He stopped, not wanting to think about what might have happened then. "Idiots," he snapped, and with one final explosion, he turned to leave.

And halfway to the door, he appeared by Pain and Panic and grabbed the former by the tail and the latter by the horns.

"Is there something wrong, Your Scheming-ness?" inquired Pain.

Hades looked at the both of them with a slight smirk. "I happen to know the real reason why you guys put Persephone in that cage…" he said in a lower tone.

Panic and Pain looked at Hades. "…You do?"

"And although it was the _stupidest _thing you two have _ever_ done…" He flared up briefly, then returned to normal. "I gotta say…thanks, guys. I owe ya one." He dropped the two of them, and stared at the door where Persephone had exited from. "Besides, I think she's starting to like me now…"

Pain stared at Hades, then turned to Panic. "Did he…just…say _thank you_?!"

"I _heard_ that," snapped Hades, flaring up even more. He turned to leave again, and again, he stopped mid-way. "BUT DON'T DO IT AGAIN!" Just like that, he vanished in a whirl of smoke.

Panic looked at Pain in awe. "Hades…_Hades_…just said… 'thank you'…"

"Yeah…and to _us_!" added Pain.

They looked at each other, knowing that if the Hades/Persephone thing worked out….things were going to change.

Big time.

* * *

"Zeus! ZEUS! Where are you?!!" yelled Demeter. After a few seconds a very sleepy Zeus came to the door.

"Demeter….it's two in the morning. What can be so incredibly important that you—"

"Persephone is still missing!" Demeter cried, "Where is she?!?!"

"Demeter, we've looked everywhere. It seems she's vanished off the face of the Earth," said Hera, who had come up behind Zeus.

"Vanished off the face of the Earth?" repeated Demeter, horrified, "But—but—that's—that's impossible!"

"Then where is she?" said Zeus, "We've looked everywhere."

"She has to be somewhere!" howled poor Demeter.

"Well, if she's not on Earth, and she's not on Olympus, then where could she be? In the Underworld, perhaps?" said Hera.

Demeter shook her head, "No. No, she can't be in the Underworld. She'd never go to a place with no sunlight, and no flowers. My Sephy may be slightly unusual, but she needs the sun. She's like a flower herself."

"Maybe…then, maybe Hades has something to do with it."

"He wouldn't dare—I made sure he wouldn't. It would be a waste of time to search in the Underworld," Demeter said confidently. Zeus and Hera looked at each other and shrugged.

"Well, if that's what you think….." said Zeus finally.

Demeter nodded, and turned to leave. But then she turned back around.

"Please….search again…she has to be somewhere….she couldn't have vanished. Please...," she said.

She sniffled, then sadly turned and headed down the stairs for another sleepless night without Persephone.

* * *

~Author's Note~ Happy New Year!


	14. Part 14: Chapter XIII

**_This _Persephone and Menthe are MINE! Anyone who uses them without my permission gets attacked by Cerberus.**

**Every other character/place/whatever else belongs to Disney. Use them at your own risk.**

**_The REAL Cosmic Couple_**

Chapter XIII-- Persephone Gets a Present and Has An Odd Dream

"Well, I have to give the little twerps credit…it was a good idea, very clever," said Hecate thoughtfully, "And it just may have helped us in the grand scheme of things…"

Menthe rolled her eyes. "Uh-huh. Great. Can't we just kidnap her already and get this over with?" She scowled. "I want Hades!"

"Be patient!" snapped Hecate, "You'll get what you want. Don't whine."

Menthe sighed, exasperated. "_Fine_…but we had a deal, and don't you forget it..."

* * *

"Hmm…" said Hades, pacing in circles by the bank of the Acheron river.

"Is there something wrong, Your Sparky-ness?" said Pain, waddling over to Hades with a frown. Panic scampered behind him.

Hades turned to them, not bothering to zap them for coming unannounced. "Where's Persephone?"

"Locked in her room," said Panic, "She tried to escape again."

"She bruised my foot," whined Pain.

Hades smirked. "I have an idea…"

_

* * *

_

Three days later…

* * *

"What the…?" Persephone had woken up no more then fifteen minutes ago. When she had absentmindedly placed her hand on the bedpost, she had found something odd—a necklace.

"What is this?" she wondered aloud, and picked it up. A little black crystal skull dangled from a (black) chain. She narrowed her eyes. "That jerk…thinking he'll get me to like him by giving me cheap jewelry…" she fumed, closing her fist around the necklace and standing up furiously.

"Persephone?" said Panic, coming in her room. "What are you doing?"

"Where's Hades?" she said.

"In the throne room," said Panic, "Why?"

"I'll be right back," she snapped, and stormed out of her room.

* * *

"Sephy, babe, long time no see…" said Hades smoothly the minute she entered, "Getting accustomed to life in the Underworld yet?"

"Don't call me Sephy," she said immediately, and then marched up to him and shook the necklace in his face. "What's this?"

"Looks like a necklace," he said calmly.

"Why was it in my room?" she demanded.

Hades smirked. "Looks like a present….ya got a secret admirer?"

"I don't want any of your presents," she said fiercely, "I don't want bribes, and I don't want you giving cheap jewelry to me thinking that it'll make me like you! It won't!" She slammed the necklace on the floor in hopes of breaking it. But instead…

The smirk on Hades' face didn't waiver as Persephone knelt and picked up the necklace. She had slammed it with a lot of force, and she was very strong (she was a goddess). Not to mention the floors in the Underworld were all made of hard stone. But the necklace didn't have even a scratch on it.

Curious, Persephone slammed it on the floor again. And again. And again. Each time, the necklace wasn't harmed. But…

"There are marks on the floor!" she exclaimed, stunned. But how could that be? The necklace was in the same condition it had been before she threw it.

Hades watched her, smirk still present.

Persephone picked up the necklace again, and raised her stare, looking at Hades. "What's this made out of?" she said slowly.

His smirk grew wider. "Diamond."

Her eyes widened. "D-diamond?" she said, faltering, "Like…the…the gem diamond? Real…diamonds?"

He nodded.

"How…how did you…" Persephone looked at him, "This must have cost a fortune!"

Hades shrugged. "Didn't cost a thing. I made it."

"You…" Persephone's voice trailed off abruptly and her eyes became even bigger. "You _made_ this?" she said hoarsely.

"Don't say it like that; it was no biggie. I do the God of Wealth thing as a side gig," said Hades. Actually, making the necklace had taken him three days. He had been using powers that hadn't been used since he was a kid, and there had been a big risk the whole time that the entire plan would blow up in his face. Literally.

"You made this…for me," she said incredulously, staring at the necklace. _Ya know, once ya get past the whole skull thing, it's not bad-looking…_, she thought to herself, _Kinda like Hades…_

Whoa, where had that one come from?

"Hey…Earth to Persephone…zone back in, babe…c'mon…" said Hades, watching her with an amused eye.

She snapped back to reality. "Uh…sorry…did you…say something?"

"My, _my_, aren't you attentive today," he said, smirking again, "So ya like the necklace? Or should I get rid of it?"

"I…" _Go on, Persephone…tell him you don't want it…throw it at him…see if it'll make a mark on his face…_ said a little voice in her head. _But you don't want to do that…_said another voice, one that sounded (to her) much calmer, _Keep it. You want to. Don't lie to yourself. You love it._ "I'll keep it," she said quietly, "Thanks."

His eyes widened in surprise. _Ok…didn't see that one coming…_ "Uh…you're welcome, babe…"

_Comeback, comeback, comeback…_thought the desperate first side of Persephone. And the calmer side responded, _You don't want to do that, and you know it. _This time she chose to listen to the first side of her, because she was beginning to startle herself, and right now she just wanted to get the hell away from him to think about all this. "Thanks for the necklace, but you're not winning me over, Hades," she finally snapped, and turned and ran to her room.

Hades blinked. "Sheesh…women are harder to understand then the Oracle of Delphi…"

* * *

"It can't be…it can't be…it can't be…" Persephone repeated over and over again, as she willingly locked herself in her room and sat on the floor. That first, bitter half of her decided to chime in. _You're right—it can't be…he's a jerk, you hate him… _The other half added its two drachmas worth, right on schedule, _But you don't _want_ to hate him…_

Persephone gritted her teeth and covered her ears. "I _am_ going insane…"

* * *

That night, Persephone had the strangest dream she had ever had in her entire immortal life.

_

* * *

_

~Persephone is running, looking for something-- two warring gods. It's too dark to see who they are, but they're fighting…really fighting, trying to kill each other (of course they're immortal). As Persephone steps in between them, there is a dim light and she can see who the two gods are. The one on the right is Apollo, god of light, music, poetry, and the man who she is (was?) supposed to marry. He is standing in a field of light, sunrays surrounding him as he walks, as he fights with his opponent. His opponent is Hades, Lord of the Underworld, god of wealth and her husband of now—the man who she was forced to marry.. All that stands behind him is darkness…the Underworld? But they're fighting, and Persephone is standing in the middle of them, dead center, on neither's side…yet. ~

* * *

She woke up with a gasp. The dream had frightened her—the fact that it felt so real, and that she was sure it meant something. But what?

She didn't know at that moment she was going to have quite a few chances to figure it out—she was going to have the same dream the next day, and the next day and the next and the next and the next.


	15. Part 15: Chapter XIV

**__**

This

Persephone is MINE! Anyone who uses her without my permission gets attacked by Cerberus and zapped by Hades (he can be kinda possessive).

**Every other character/place/whatever else belongs to Disney. Use them at your own risk.**

**_The REAL Cosmic Couple_**

Chapter XIV-- Hades Gets Another Idea, Demeter is Stubborn, and Persephone's Dream Changes

Hades watched Persephone carefully as she sat on her bed and stared at the walls with a puzzled expression on her face. She had been like this for days on end.

"…Persephone?" he said, and came into the room, leaning immediately against a wall.

She twitched and stared at the floor. "What do you want?"

"…you ok?"

Persephone lifted her gaze to his face. It wasn't false concern. _He's worried about me…_

"Just a bad night," she said softly.

"Couldn't sleep?"

"Nightmares." Persephone stared back at the wall, thinking of her dreams—Hades and Apollo fighting without holding back, trying to rip out each other's throats.

Hades shifted uneasily.

Smooth-talking he did. Sarcasm he did. Kidnapping he did. Sensitivity…well…he didn't.

But it was worth a shot.

"Ya wanna keep it to yourself, or do ya wanna share?" Hades crossed his arms, "I'm all ears, babe."

Persephone looked up at him with a trace of surprise. "It's alright," she said quietly. This was just…unheard of. _Didn't know Hades could do 'concerned,' didja, Seph?_, said the calm voice in her head, the one that was always on Hades' side. "Shut up," she muttered out loud.

Hades looked at her, startled. "Huh?"

"Er…sorry…" she said with a shrug, "I'm sorta living in another world."

Hades smirked. "Yeah. The Underworld."

Persephone looked around, as if realizing this for the first time. "Besides that, I mean." She gave him a half-smile.

He smirked at her.

Persephone gave an exasperated sigh. "Why do you have to smirk at everything? Can't you just smile like a normal person?"

He shrugged. "Sorry, babe, I don't _do_ smiling." He desperately hoped that Persephone couldn't tell he was trying _very_ hard not to grab her and kiss her.

Persephone rolled her eyes, and for a few seconds they just looked at each other. The pro-Hades voice snickered at the anti-Hades voice as Hades vanished, leaving Persephone alone to contemplate everything.

* * *

That night, when Persephone fell asleep, she had the same dream as she had been having every other night.

But instead of a steady battle, Apollo wasn't fighting as well as he had been. And Hades seemed stronger.

Persephone was no longer standing in the center of them. She was standing, very slightly, to Hades' side.

* * *

"Demeter!" yelled Zeus, as he came charging through her house. He found Demeter sitting on the floor, sobbing.

"Did you find Persephone yet?" Demeter inquired, after several seconds of tears.

"Demeter, we need to talk," said Zeus, "_Now_."

Demeter raised her tear-stained eyes to Zeus. "What?"

"What's the meaning of all this?" Zeus gestured outside.

"What?" said Demeter flatly.

"The mortals are dying, Demeter," responded Zeus just as flatly, "Nothing is growing on the Earth and they have no food."

Demeter said nothing, but stood up, and faced the King of the Gods with a solemn face.

"Go outside and make the plants flourish once more," he ordered, "Because no mortals means no worshippers and we gods will _not_ have that."

"I will not," she snapped, "My daughter has been missing for months on end. She was the greatest thing in my life. If she's not here, then I'm not happy, and I can't make anything bloom unless I'm happy."

Zeus opened his mouth to say something, but Demeter cut him off.

"Sephy is my entire world. I cannot, and will not, live without her. And I will not and cannot make a single thing grow until she is returned to me safely." Demeter crossed her arms stubbornly. "You want vegetation, find my daughter. That's how it works."

* * *

"There's gotta be something I can do," Hades said, a slight scowl crossing his features. "I mean, she's not as…hostile towards me like she was when I kidnapped her…but…"

He snapped his fingers in sudden realization. "She still feels like a prisoner! I got it!" He stood up. Pain and Panic automatically cringed.

"Go get Persephone," he said to them, "Bring her…well…um…anywhere, actually, just not in her room. Just, like, lock her in the throne room until I say so."

As Pain and Panic went to go get Persephone, Hades thought about how he could do this. It was going to be hard, that much he knew. But it was worth it…right?

As soon as Persephone was dragged (kicking and screaming) into the throne room, Hades vanished.

But not before he saw that she was wearing the necklace he had given her.

* * *

"What are you doing?" Persephone hissed, breaking free of Pain and Panic and tumbling on the floor.

"The boss wants you out of your room," said Pain.

Persephone raised an eyebrow and stood up. "…ok…why?"

"We….well…ok…we don't…know," said Panic, glancing at Pain, who shrugged.

"Great," she said sarcastically. She began to walk around the throne room, stopping at the giant chessboard in the middle of the room.

"What's this?" she said, inspecting it.

Pain looked up in alarm. "DON'T TOUCH THAT!" he shrieked, but she just ignored them.

"What the…?" Persephone picked up her figurine with two fingers, inpecting it carefully. The likeness was uncanny. "What is this?" she said slowly.

Panic winced. "Er…you weren't supposed to see that…"

Her fingers closed around her figurine as she looked over the rest of the pieces. Her eyes stopped at Hades' piece. She picked it up gently.

"These are beautiful," she said softly, "Where did Hades get them?"

Pain twisted his tail around. "He made them," he said uneasily.

Persephone almost dropped the pieces in surprise. "Every time I think I have Hades all figured out, he surprises me again." She shook her head slowly, "You know, I think my mother was wrong about him…"

She studied the two pieces she had in her hands, and noticed something. The design of her and Hades' pieces looked as if…as if when put together, their hands would join.

Pain looked at Panic. "Don't…now, just put the pieces down…put them down…please…now…"

Almost holding her breath, Persephone joined the pieces together and set them on the chessboard.

Hades and Persephone stood hand-in-hand amidst clay monsters and gods and nymphs.

And somehow, she was sure he had done that on purpose.

But why?


	16. Part 16: Chapter XV

**_This _Persephone is MINE! Anyone who uses her without my permission gets attacked by Cerberus and zapped by Hades (he can be kinda possessive).**

**Every other character/place/whatever else belongs to Disney. Use them at your own risk.**

**_The REAL Cosmic Couple_**

Chapter XV-- Hades Does Some Redecorating and Persephone Talks to Herself

"So can I go back into my room now?" said Persephone. Her fascination for the little figures on Hades' chessboard had worn off quickly, and now she was bored. Of course, there wasn't much else to do in her room, but at least she'd be alone. Free to do whatever she wanted.

Strangely enough, she found herself wishing Hades was here. She kind of enjoyed talking to him. He had a great sense of humor.

_What are you doing?_ screamed the anti-Hades part of her, _Get a hold of yourself already! _

"You can't go back until Hades says so," said Panic matter-of-factly, "And he didn't say so yet, so you can't go back."

"But I'm _bored_," she protested, "Shouldn't he be, like, entertaining his wife instead of messing around in my prison cell?...er…in my room?" Every single good thought she had previously had of Hades vanished as she thought about the ideas Hades might have for 'entertaining her.' _Whoa, don't even _go_ there, Seph…ew, ew, ew…_

_Oh, come on¸ _scoffed pro-Hades, _He's not perverted like that and you know it._

_Of _course_ not,_ said the anti-Hades.

"He's tryin' to be nice to you," said Pain, his voice bringing her away from pro- and anti-Hades, "The least you can do is be nice to him back."

"I just wanna go home," snapped Persephone. _Do you? _said pro-Hades.

_Of course she does,_ said anti-Hades, firmly.

Persephone found herself standing up and screaming out, "SHUT UP!"

Pain and Panic froze and stared at her.

"Um…sorry about that…" She sat back down and smiled sheepishly.

"Er….right," said Panic, glancing at Pain.

"What were you saying?" Persephone brushed her hair out of her eyes, and fingered her skull necklace absentmindedly.

The two imps noticed she was wearing it for the first time. "Hey…that's the necklace Hades gave you!" said Pain excitedly.

Persephone smirked dryly. "Very _good_…do you want a medal or something? A certificate? A ribbon?"

"You like it, then?" said Panic.

She shrugged. "Ok, fine, I'll admit it…it was very…sweet of him to make me this. And I like it. But I'm still a prisoner here, and that's not going to change."

"Ok babe, Alpha—I am NOT sweet, and Beta—you're not a prisoner, you're my wife and the Queen of the Underworld."

Persephone, Pain and Panic all jumped as Hades made himself known.

"Were you _spying_ on me?!" exclaimed Persephone, the slight smile on her face transforming into a scowl in record speed.

"Well, I have to keep an eye on my wifey-kins, don't I?" Hades smirked playfully. "I don't want you cheating on me with any of the souls…"

Persephone rolled her eyes. "You're a slug," she spat.

"Ooh! I like that one!" He put an arm around her. "Getting creative with our insults, are we?"

Persephone managed (with some difficulty—he was stronger then her) to get away from him. "Ya know, it's kinda like what I said before…just when I think I have you all figured out…" She narrowed her eyes. "…you turn out to be a big _jerk._"

Hades' smirk didn't waiver, but his mind was racing. _Zeus-dammit, I'm never going to understand her!!!!!!_

"_Anyway_…" He put a hand on her shoulder and steered her towards the door. "I have to show you something."

Her face changed immediately. "Ok, I'm pretty sure whatever you're going to show me, I'm not going to like it…"

He snickered. "Jeez, for a goddess who's supposed to be all innocent-like, you have some pretty sick thoughts…" He reconsidered that. "Although…"

Persephone's eyes widened. "I take back the slug comment from before. You're not a slug; you're a pig." She briefly considered hitting him.

"Sheesh, babe, lighten up, I'm not gonna _do_ anything. I just wanna show you what I've been doing for the last few hours. I was just _kidding._" He glanced at her scowling face. "You need to get yerself a sense a' humor."

"It wasn't funny," she said curtly.

"This is my best material, babe…I don't sing or dance…"

"And thank the gods for that." She pushed his hand off of her shoulder. "Where are you taking me?"

"To your room."

"I can walk."

"I wanna show you something."

"Well, I have eyes. Y'know, to see things with."

Hades rolled his eyes. "Will you stop talking? We're almost at your room."

"I _know_," she said with a hint of annoyance, "You've kept me here for three months. I know where my 'room' is by now."

He pushed her to a door, and stood back, waiting, arms crossed.

She stared at it, and her eyes narrowed in confusion. "Where'd my room go?"

"This _is_ your room." She hadn't even gone in yet, and already the smug smirk was spreading across his face.

"No, it's not." She ran a hand over the door. "What happened to the door?"

It was smoother then the rough wood that had been there before. And it was shinier.

"Gold," said Hades, "Black gold. Go on, open up the door, take a look at the rest of yer room."

Her eyes widened. "Black gold?" she whispered, and gently pushed the door open.

Persephone gasped.

A huge window made up one wall of the room, so that one could overlook the Underworld. Crystallized flowers in every color imaginable were pressed into the wall. The wall itself was made up of something that looked like black gold. Instead of the dingy black bed she had had for all this time, a huge golden bed (black gold, of course) stood in the middle of the room, complete with shimmery black canopies.

"My _gods_…" breathed Persephone in awe, taking in all the tiny details; the little flowers in the corners of the ceiling, the huge black pearly chandelier, the gem adorned border at the foot of the wall, the golden door with more crystals pressed into it.

The smirk on Hades' face twisted into a grin.

"You…didn't have to do this," she said hoarsely, feeling suddenly very guilty. She had been acting like such a brat to him, and yet he did all this. For her. No strings attached.

"Babe, you're technically my prisoner…but I don't want you feeling like one. You're my wife. You're the Queen of the Underworld."

Persephone was speechless. All she could think to say was, "If I'm not supposed to feel like a prisoner, why do you lock me in my room?"

"'Cuz you hate my guts…if I left it unlocked you'd hightail it outta here." He smirked. "You're welcome." With a curl of smoke, he disappeared.

_Still wanna go home?_ said pro-Hades.

"I…" Persephone sat on the edge of the bed. "He really didn't have to do this."

_But he did do it, didn't he? _She imagined pro-Hades was sitting next to her, legs crossed, a smug smirk on its face. She wondered what it looked like.

"But he didn't _have _to," she said.

_He wanted to. He cares about you._

_He wants something,_ said anti-Hades stubbornly.

_You didn't even say 'thank you,' _pointed out pro-Hades. It ignored anti-Hades, and so did Persephone.

Persephone buried her face in her hands. "Gods, I feel _awful_," she groaned, "I've been such a brat to him. Look what he did!" She stood up and gestured around her wildly. "They don't even have rooms like this on Mt. Olympus!" She collapsed on the bed and hung her head miserably. "And I didn't even thank him…"

_You can go thank him now, _whispered pro-Hades, _Something tells me the door's unlocked…_

"No way," said Persephone, "He wouldn't be that stupid. Right? He said it himself…I'd…I'd just run away." She leapt up and tried to turn the diamond encrusted doorknob. To her surprise, it twisted easily and the door swung open.

_Now's your chance, Seph! _cried anti-Hades, _Get outta here! Go! Run! Run!_

_Oh, shut up,_ snapped pro-Hades.

Persephone ignored both and walked briskly out the door. She was still getting used to not being able to materialize wherever she wanted.

* * *

Hades' eyes widened as Persephone walked in the throne room. "You…you got out?" he stammered, "How…how did you…"

Persephone smirked. "You left the door unlocked," she said, "But don't worry—I'm not running away. Not yet, that is."

Hades managed to regain control of the panic that had been racing through him moments ago. The last thing he wanted was her to leave. "So…then…what are you doing?"

"I didn't thank you for re-doing my room like that," she said.

Hades thought back. "You didn't?....I mean…um…you didn't."

Persephone hoisted herself onto the chessboard and sat down, looking at him. "Thanks," she said, "But you didn't have to do that."

"I didn't want you feeling like a prisoner, babe…and that lil' cell I had you in didn't help things…so…y'know…"

"I just feel kinda bad about the whole thing," she said quietly, staring at her hands, "I hadn't actually realized it…but you've just been really, _really_ good to me this entire time…I've just been acting all hostile and stuff."

"I can't really blame you…" said Hades, "After all the things your mom told ya about me…I'm really not that bad…I'm bad…but not…_that_ bad."

After a moment of hesitation, Persephone said something that suprised both of them. "I know."

* * *

In her dream that night, something happened. Apollo crashed to the ground, and Hades stood tall, darkness enveloping the sunlight. And Persephone was by his side.

When Persephone woke up, she knew immediately what it meant.

The love she felt for Hades was love even Cupid couldn't reverse.

And, although she didn't know it, vice versa.


	17. Part 17: Chapter XVI

**_This _Persephone is MINE! Anyone who uses her without my permission gets attacked by Cerberus and zapped by Hades (he can be kinda possessive).**

**Every other character/place/whatever else belongs to Disney. Use them at your own risk.**

**_The REAL Cosmic Couple_**

Chapter XVI--Hades and Persephone Admit Their Feelings For Each Other (to Themselves)

She couldn't tell him.

That was about all Persephone had to say about this newly created situation.

After ramming her head against a wall for almost an hour everyday, Persephone had come to the conclusion that:

Alpha: She was not losing her mind. Yet.

Beta: She was indeed in love with Hades. Actually, she had begun to sense it since he had rescued her from the Phlegethon.

And gamma: Ramming one's head against a wall did not help clear the senses—it just caused headaches.

Now Persephone sat cross-legged on her new bed, one hand to her aching head, the other covering her face.

And without meaning to, she let out a trembling sigh. She was married to the one god who her mother warned her not to go near. There hadn't been anything wrong with that at first—she had been a prisoner; no say in the matter. But now…

She could have escaped when he had left the door open last week. The door had been unlocked. Hades had been in the throne room, not even knowing about it. But she didn't. She had stayed. Willingly.

_Because you love him,_ stated pro-Hades, as it stuck its tongue out at anti-Hades and threw it off a cliff.

Persephone bit her lip. "I don't want to."

_You do._

"I didn't _mean_ to."

_Of course not…but you wouldn't have it any other way, would you?_

She hesitated, and then sighed, fingering her necklace. "I _wouldn't_ have it any other way."

Persephone rested her head in her hand, sighing again. "I really never thought I would say this…but he's not that bad once ya get used to 'im. He's kinda…sweet." She stood up and crossed the room to the large window Hades had installed, gazing out over the River Styx. "And he's really not bad-looking, either."

_Why not tell him how you feel?_ said pro-Hades.

Anti-Hades, having recovered from its mistreatment by pro-Hades, said, _You don't know if he likes _you_ or not, do you? _Without waiting for an answer, it continued, _You don't. Therefore—it would be unwise to say anything. He'd just break your heart. _

"Why would he kidnap me if he didn't like me?" scoffed Persephone, still staring at the window. She wondered where Hades was. Probably in the throne room.

_Hmmmm…power-crazed, evil, _single_, god of the Underworld…young, beautiful, innocent, vulnerable goddess of spring being held hostage in the Underworld, where there are no witnesses, by said god of the Underworld,_ said anti-Hades dryly, _Why dontcha put two and two together?_

Persephone gasped. "Oh, that's just ridiculous!" she exclaimed, "He's not like that!"

She paused abruptly as she realized she was yelling at herself. Pro-Hades and anti-Hades didn't exist. It didn't really matter, since no-one was listening. And she didn't have anyone else to talk to. Except maybe…

"PAIN! PANIC!"

The two imps appeared in a flash at the foot of her bed. "Reporting for duty, bos—Persephone?!"

Panic went over to her. "We weren't…expecting you, Your Flower-fully-ness," he said nervously.

Persephone raised an eyebrow calmly and moved over to the bed, sitting on its edge. "Tell me…do you two tell Hades…_everything_?"

Pain exchanged glances with Panic. "Er…not…all the time."

"Well…if I told you that I loved Hades, would you tell him?"

The two discussed this briefly. "Would you want us to tell him?" said Panic finally.

Persephone hesitated. "No," she stated.

"Then we wouldn't," said Pain, "You're our boss, too."

"Why do you ask?" said Panic.

Persephone swallowed, hard and realized she was playing with her necklace again. "I…b-because…well…I do."

The two imps shared confused glanced. "You do what?"

"Love him."

"Love _who_?"

"Hades."

"What _about_ Hades?" said Panic, hands on hips. "You're not being clear!" added Pain.

Persephone groaned. "Never mind. Forget I said anything."

"But—"

"_Never_…_mind_," she growled, "Get the hell outta here!"

They jumped, startled, and dashed out of the room.

Persephone sighed, and buried her face in her hands.

"Babe?"

Persephone gasped, and whirled around.

Hades was standing…well, leaning, in the doorframe. "Scared ya, didn't I?"

Persephone shrugged, not able to look him in the eye. She felt as if she was lying to him.

Strangely enough, he felt the exact same way—yet, he was able to overcome it. She wasn't.

"What's-a-matter now?" said Hades, coming over to her, "'Nother bad dream?"

"No…" she said, as Hades sat on the bed besides her. Damn it, she was going to have to tell him. Not now, but sometime. If he was never going to let her go, then…well, she'd just go crazy.

Too many lies would make the both of them sick. She knew he was lying to her. About what, she didn't quite know, but something was wrong.

Especially since he never seemed to meet her gaze dead-on(dead-on—HA! Underworld humor.)

Hades held up his hands. "Hey, I won't pry." He stood up. "So you like your room?"

She nodded. "It's really pretty…but…you didn't have to—"

"_Hey._ I wanted to, 'k? Lay off about it." He gave her a sharp (almost sharp) look, and disappeared.

* * *

Hades reappeared in the throne room. As Pain and Panic came up to him, he sighed happily (I know—it's very frightening), and slumped against the wall.

"How goes it with the…wife?" said Pain.

"It's so weird saying that," marveled Panic.

"I know…you'd never expect it…I know _I _didn't…"

Hades flared up at them. "Shaddup."

They ducked as a fireball came their way,

Hades began to pace. "I'm liking where this is all going…she's not as…well…murderous towards me like she was in the beginning…but, like, still….there's something…missing…"

"Have ya kissed her yet?" piped up Panic.

"Shut up!" snapped Hades, turning orange in a flash. But he didn't zap the turquoise colored imp…

He wanted to kiss her, so badly it hurt—an aching feeling inside him. And he knew that he could. He could easily overpower her without breaking a sweat…she was so much younger and weaker then he was. "I…can't," he said weakly.

"Can't what?"

"Never mind." Hades slunk across the room, muttering to himself as he did. "Maybe I could make her something else…."

As he came across his throne, made of grayish marble, it hit him—she didn't have a throne.

"And is it right for the Queen of the Underworld to be denied a throne?" he said aloud, running a hand through his flame as he spoke. Of course, he had no problem with her sharing a throne with him, but she probably wouldn't like that.

Actually, she'd probably be furious. More then furious. Him without the flames.

He was spoiling her terribly, for the main reason that he still believed she hated him. He had the teeniest, tiniest hope that maybe, maybe, if she wouldn't like him for real, like, love-like, then he could get her to like him by giving her stuff. _Maybe…_

Hades had never truly been in love before. And he had certainly never had a girlfriend….at least, not one who he treated in a civil way. He had, for lack of a better word, stalked a few nymphs, dryads, etc…

The only one who he had actually _done_ anything with was one named Leuce. And that had been something...fairly minor. A kiss. A...well...y'know. Hint, hint, wink, wink, nudge, nudge. But that had been it.

But Persephone…Persephone was something different. Not only was she breathtakingly gorgeous, she had an attitude that almost closely matched his own. And she was funny, and smart, and—

And she was his wife. _His_ wife.

And she hated him.

The one person in the entire universe who Hades really, truly loved hated him.

Or so he thought.


	18. Part 18: Chapter XVII

**_This _Persephone and Rhea are MINE! Anyone who uses them without my permission gets attacked by Cerberus.**

**Every other character/place/whatever else belongs to Disney. Use them at your own risk.**

**_The REAL Cosmic Couple_**

Chapter XVII-- Persephone Has a Plan...And It Works Spectacularly 

"I think that Hades and Persephone are starting to get along _really_ well," said Panic happily, "Y'know, hint hint."

"He didn't kiss her yet," said Pain, "And she still doesn't like him. So therefore—"

"Well, ya can't rush these things. Ya have to let them happen on their own—" Panic broke off and stood, gaping through the open throne room door.

"What's the matter?" said Pain, waddling over to his counterpart. He, too, broke off and stared through the doors.

Hades was leaning casually up against the throne he had made for Persephone. The smirk on his face was so big it looked like it would fall off.

"Not bad, huh? Ta da!" he said with a dramatic flourish.

Pain and Panic's mouths simultaneously dropped open. "I know you made her necklace," said Panic, "And redid her room…but…you didn't make _this_, did you?"

"I did," said Hades proudly, "I think it's some of my best work…" He ran a hand over the black crystal that made up the flower-shaped throne.

The two imps went up to the throne and circled it, awestruck. "Boss, this is really…just…amazing!" cried Pain.

Hades grinned. "Ain't it?"

"Persephone is really gonna like this," said Panic, reaching out to touch the throne.

Hades slapped his hand away. "Hold it," he snapped, "This is off-limits to you two. This throne belongs to Persephone and I'm _pretty sure_ she doesn't want_—_" He grabbed them by their wrists and held them dangling in the air, "—little claw-prints all over it!" He dropped the two of them to the floor.

"Yes, boss," whimpered Pain and Panic.

"Stay here. I'm going to get Persephone. AND DON'T TOUCH ANYTHING!" Hades disappeared, leaving the two imps cowering on the floor.

_

* * *

_

Yeesh. Talk about 'no dignity.'

Persephone was curled up in a little ball, sitting on the floor next to her bed. She was exhausted—the entire night had just flown by without a shred of sleep for her. No, last night had been spent thinking about Hades.

_How long have I been sitting here?_ Persephone wondered as she stood up carefully, ignoring the creaks and groans coming from all her joints. With a slight jolt, she realized, _I haven't seen Hades in days!_

It probably had something to do with the noises that had been coming from the throne room. Hmm, maybe that was why she hadn't been sleeping.

_Or maybe it's because you're lying to your lover._

Persephone blinked. "Ok, he's not my _lover,_" she said indignantly, "And I don't want to talk to my conscience right now. Go away."

_Conscience?... eh. Whatever works._

Persephone sighed angrily and jammed her silk pillows over her ears.

_You know, you're going to have to tell him eventually._

"I know," she snapped, "I'm not telling him. So go away."

"Babe, you _do _know that no-one 'cept for me is in this room, right?"

Persephone gasped, as she whirled around to face Hades. "Wha—how long were you standing there?"

"Just got here. Now, _who_ needs to go away?"

Persephone shifted, shrinking back nervously. "Er…no-one."

Hades smirked. "I see. So I guess you've inhaled too much brimstone, huh?"

She rolled her eyes, and turned to her window. "So what do you want now?"

"Got a surprise for ya, babe."

Ah, so that explained all the noise lately. He had made her something again. _Hmmm…that gives me an idea…_

Suddenly, his hands were over her eyes, and he was moving h—ok, well, pushing her towards the throne room.

* * *

It amazed her that he seemed to have so many different personalities. He could be incredibly sweet and gentle for one second (which was frankly just a bit scary), calm and collected another second, furious and explosive the next second, and so on. She knew he could be incredibly violent, too—she had seen him torment Pain and Panic. _Anti-Hades doesn't know what it's talking about. He's got to like me…if he didn't, I wouldn't be treated so well…_Persephone tried not to stumble as she was pushed through one of the many dark hallways of the Underworld. Hades probably couldn't see a thing, and he was the one leading her—therefore, if he tripped, she would, too.

"Hey, what, ya don't think I know my way around by now?" he said, "Babe, I've been here for thousands of years. I know every little bump, every rock, every crack…"

Persephone let out a sigh. _Ya gotta stick with your plan…unless, of course, you have a better idea (which you don't), _said Pro-Hades inside her head, _No matter how nice he is to you…_

Hades stopped her then. "'K, babe, we're here…" He pushed open the throne room doors, and let her walk in the room.

Persephone's mouth immediately dropped open. She stood, frozen to the spot for a few seconds staring at her throne. "A flower…" she said weakly, "It's a flower…"

_Hello? Plan? Genius plan? Helloooo???_ said pro-Hades, _Come on…_

Persephone blinked. _I can do this. I'm a good actress. I'll be able to— _"I can't believe you!" she exclaimed angrily.

The smirk on Hades' face faded immediately. "…What?"

Her expression grew darker and darker. "You've really got _problems_…I'm a living, breathing goddess! And you think that making me all this stuff is going to change how I feel about you!"

Hades took several steps backwards as Persephone took several steps forwards; him, nervously and her, angrily.

"Things! I don't care about things! STOP SPOILING ME! I DON'T WANT ANY OF YOUR STUFF!"

"I—"

"Do you think all this stuff will win me over?" she cried.

Hades stepped back again, and stumbled into his throne.

"Yeah, they're getting along great," said Pain dryly.

"Persephone, I just—" He was at a total loss. He hadn't expected this. She wasn't supposed to get mad at him!

"Do you think that I'll fall for you if you give me things?!" she exclaimed, fury clouding her voice and face.

Hades shrunk back in his throne as she came over to him.

But instead of hitting him(which he was sure she was going to do), Persephone's face softened.

Her eyes glancing at the floor and her hands playing with her necklace, she said, "Well…it wasn't all the stuff you gave me that did it…but… I...I've fallen for you, Hades."

* * *

Simultaneously, Rhea and the Fates smiled.

* * *

~Author's Note~ Whoa! Sorry I haven't updated in so long. Part 19 is in the works, I promise!


	19. Part 19: Chapter XVIII

**_This _Persephone and Menthe are MINE! Anyone who uses them without my permission gets attacked by Cerberus.**

**Every other character/place/whatever else belongs to Disney. Use them at your own risk.**

**_The REAL Cosmic Couple_**

Chapter XVIII-- Persephone Gets Another Idea, Hades Believes Her, and Menthe is Furious

A full thirty seconds passed before Hades even began to try and comprehend what she had just said. It took another thirty seconds for him to convince himself he'd heard her correctly.

And even then, he wasn't sure.

"Could you…could you…repeat that last part?" he said tentatively, more confused then ever. In his time, Hades had seen a lot of bad jokes. But this was just cruel.

If she was joking.

* * *

The second the words were out of her mouth, Anti-Hades disappeared and she felt…lighter, if that was possible.

Persephone had expected him to be confused. It was a pretty normal reaction, after all—if the girl who had claimed to hate you all this time suddenly whirled around claiming she loved you...

So, skepticism was fully expected. She had no problem repeating herself.

"I…love…you," she said, softly, almost holding her breath. What would he say?

_

* * *

_

_Well, she can't be anymore obvious,_ thought Hades. But still…

"Umm…could you…repeat that…_one_ more time?"

Persephone smiled, a thought that would have given Demeter a near-heart attack forming in her head. "I have a better idea." Leaning forwards without a second thought, she grabbed him and kissed him.

Hard.

Anti-Hades would have died.

* * *

"Macaria…um…I know you weren't _born_ yet, but, ah…was Persephone drugged?" said Hercules, as Meg made a few obvious gagging noises.

"Very funny," said Macaria dryly, "No, she wasn't _drugged._"

"How do _you_ know?" said Meg.

"I _don't_," Macaria replied, "But if she was drugged, then I wouldn't have been born and you wouldn't be here right now because my dad would be ruling Mount Olympus."

Hercules blinked. "Wait, I don't get it."

"I didn't get to that part yet," said Macaria, inspecting a black polished fingernail, "I will, eventually. It's called 'patience.'" She glanced skywards. "You ok, Bob?"

"I…yeah. It's just so…" He sniffed loudly, "It's so sweet…"

Hercules, Meg, and Macaria exchanged glances.

"Yea-ah…" said Macaria, "Uh, do ya want, like, some tissues or something?"

"No, no, I'll, I'll be fine…"

"Oookay…" She shrugged, "Anyway…"

* * *

The only thing Hades was thinking was that if he asked her to repeat _that_, she'd probably hit him.

As they broke apart (very, veeeeeeerrrrrry reluctantly), he tried to maintain control of his spinning head.

He became vaguely aware of Persephone moving over to her throne besides his, and facing him, playing with her necklace again.

"Y'know, I've never actually kissed anyone before…" she reflected, after a moment. And, by the gods, she had loved every second of it.

Hades found his voice. "I find that…_very_ hard to believe."

They both randomly glanced over at Pain and Panic, who were standing in the corner, mouths hanging open.

Hades raised an eyebrow at them. "Is there a problem?"

They recovered almost instantly. Pain twisted his tail around. "Oh, uh, no, no, boss, we were just…"

"Leaving. We were just leaving," said Panic, and they ran out the door, both snickering quietly.

Hades rolled his eyes. "Imps."

Persephone stood up, and crossed the room to Hades' chessboard, and stood staring at all the pieces.

After a few silent minutes, Hades said what was on his mind. "You don't really love me…"

Persephone turned around.

"You can't possibly…" his voice trailed off and he stared at the ceiling.

"Why not?" said Persephone.

Her simple question startled him. Why _couldn't_ she? Age difference was a big factor, first of all. And then there was the fact that…well…he was him, and she was her, and they just weren't _meant_ to be together.

_It's not true. We're fated—the Fates knew. Mom knew. We're supposed to be together._

He didn't have an answer for her. _Why_ couldn't shelove him?

"I…have no idea," he said finally, eyes moving to the ground.

Persephone tilted her head. "You think I'm lying, don't you?"

He kept his gaze on the floor. "It's...well, it's simple reasoning…why would someone like _you_ ever even think about loving someone like _me_?"

"My god…" she breathed quietly, softly enough so that Hades wouldn't hear her. Was it possible that there was a totally different side of Hades that no-one had ever seen? It could be, couldn't it? The fact that he would say something like that…it almost frightened her. How come someone have such a low opinion of themselves?

"Hades…" She was by his side again, in his throne, leaning over its edge.

He hadn't noticed that her hands were behind her back, but when she brought them out, he realized it.

In her hands were two figures from his chessboard.

His figure.

And hers.

With Hades watching, she fit the pieces together so that they were holding hands. "I love you, Hades," she said quietly, "And trust me. I wouldn't lie about that."

He blinked. She wasn't lying. That meant that she really, truly...

"YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

* * *

"That's right…deep cleansing breaths…stay calm…" said Hecate, trying to calm Menthe down. Seeing them kiss had been bad enough. Half the room was in ruins.

"I am going to KILL that little brat!" hissed Menthe, clenching her green-tinted fists. She was so mad, she was shaking. "When can we turn her in to Demeter?"

"Honestly, Menthe, what do you see in him?" said Hecate wearily.

Menthe stood up and slashed through the little bubble that was displaying the conversation going on in the throne room, making it disappear. "You said once they loved each other, we could re-kidnap her. So let's go!"

Hecate cocked her head. "Menthe, darling…we have to be patient. Patience is key!" Her sweet smile turned into a scowl. "If we're not _patient_, then we won't _get_ anywhere, and our little _deal_ will be _broken_. Got it?!"

Menthe made a whimpering noise. "Uh-huh…"

"We have everything planned out already, so sit back, relax, and try not to kill anyone." Hecate hooked a pointed finger under Menthe's chin and jerked her head up painfully. "And absolutely _no_ kidnapping anyone without me. Are we clear?"

Menthe managed a nod. The only thing that kept her bound to Hecate was their deal.

If she helped Hecate take over the Underworld, then Hecate would help her get Hades.

'Love' didn't even begin to describe what she felt for Hades. It was an obsession.

In fact, Persephone's was the only love that rivaled her own. And that was new.

Hades had never noticed her—in fact, he often made a big show of ignoring her. But still…

_Hecate will do the trick. Hecate will solve everything…_


	20. Part 20: Chapter XIX

**_This _Persephone is MINE! Anyone who uses her without my permission gets attacked by Cerberus.**

**Every other character/place/whatever else belongs to Disney. Use them at your own risk.**

**_The REAL Cosmic Couple_**

Chapter XIX-- The Fates Intervene BIG TIME

It was amazing that something as simple as a wedding ring could change someone's life.

Sometimes it was for the worst. Other times, it was for the better.

Hades had to go with the latter—and it absolutely delighted him that he even had that decision to make.

He inspected his own wedding ring. He didn't wear it (he had never been one for jewelry), but he had kept it in safely locked away a drawer. In his bedroom. Where no-one was allowed to venture but him.

And…and _maybe_ Persephone, if she ever wanted to—

No. No, he was already walking on eggshells with her; he didn't dare risk doing anything that would change the growing relationship they had.

But still…maybe…eventually…in time…she'd…_maybe_…want to—

No. No. No. No. No. No. Persephone was completely, totally, off-limits, and that's how she would stay. It had only been two months since she had told him she loved him; that meant it had been about four and a half months since he had kidnapped her. Four and a half months wasn't that long. 'It' was not an option.

"Yeah, right. She's not exactly the picture of innocence…if anyone was going to break those 'rules,' it'd be her," said Hades to himself. And speaking of which, where was Persephone?

* * *

He found her by the bank of the River Styx, walking back and forth and back and forth, over and over and over.

"Er…Persephone?...what are you doing?"

She looked up, startled, and then she smiled. "Hades! I didn't see you there. C'mere, check this out."

He shrugged, and materialized next to her.

"Look at this," she said, and she walked a few feet ahead. Little red and black flowers bloomed wherever she stepped. Persephone paused, and whirled around. "Ta da!"

Hades stared at her, at her flowers, and then back to her. "Wha—how'd you do that?"

Persephone beamed. "It's pretty easy. I'd teach you how to do it, but I doubt you'd want your 'villainous image' to be ruined by a bunch of flowers trailing behind you wherever you walk."

Hades smirked dryly. "Yeah, pass."

She returned his smirk. "I saw that coming."

He examined the flowers. "Why are they all black? And red? I mean, y'know, besides the fact that you're a Harley Quinn fan…"

She looked puzzled. "Who?"

"Never mind. So, what, is this, like, a new Queen of the Underworld thing? Or are ya trying to match our color scheme?"

Persephone shrugged, pushing her hair away from her face. "I'm not sure; I was wondering that before. I guess being in the Underworld for so long has affected my powers." She spread her arms, and let a wave of her magic spread across the ground (and her husband). Everything the light had touched was showered with flowers—black, blood red, dark purple, deep blue, and various shades of grey.

"Hmm. Weird," she said after a second.

Hades made an annoyed snorting sound, as he pried her flowers off of him. "I love ya, but I _really_ wish you wouldn't do that."

Persephone smirked, and hugged him. "I know. That's why I do it."

That was when they both realized that neither Pain or Panic had been around for some time.

"How long haven't—"

"About an hour," responded Hades, looking frantically around. "Wonderful. Maybe this time when I find them they won't be hanging someone over the Phlegethon."

"Very funny," said Persephone dryly, "Let's just go find them…"

* * *

"I'm not sure…I mean, Hades will kill us if we—"

"Nonsense. He won't kill you—we'll make sure of it."

"But Lachesis—"

"Listen, we'll _make_ you carry out our plans whether you like it or not, so stop whining and objecting," said Atropos.

"We know for a _fact _that Hades will _not_ kill you," added Clotho.

For three hours, the Fates had been talking to Pain and Panic, filling them in on what would be happening for the next few days. To say the least, the two imps were still doubtful, and were refusing to take part in this.

They would have to hurry, too. Hades and Persephone would find them in fifteen minutes.

"Pain, come on, all we need you to do is fall into Panic, who'll fall into Persephone, who'll end up crashing into Hades, and we'll take it from there," said Atropos.

"And I can guarantee you that he will not be mad. At anyone, for that matter." The three shared knowing smiles.

Panic shivered. They were giving him the creeps.

Clotho glanced at the sundial hanging on the wall (don't ask how a sundial can work in the Underworld where there's no sun), and then back to Pain and Panic.

"Hades and Persephone are going to be here in a few minutes," she said, "Remember—if you suddenly find yourself a bit more clumsier then usual…"

"Don't worry—it's just us," said Atropos. The three disappeared just as Hades and Persephone came into the room.

"_What_ are you two doing _here_?!" said Hades, looking around for any signs of damage.

"Oh," said Pain, "We were, ah, just, um…"

"Talking?" suggested Panic, "About…"

"About the weather," said Pain, "And how it was all…"

"Cold. The weather is cold," said Panic, "And, uh, how we needed…"

"Scarves?" They put on hopeful smiles.

Hades stared at them. "Yea-_ah_…um..."

Persephone shook her head, and picked the two of them up by their tails. "It's really not everyday I get to see you speechless," she said to Hades, as if the two imps couldn't hear them.

Hades gave Pain and Panic suspecting looks. "I _know_ they're up to something…"

"Yeah, right." She rolled her eyes. "If you combined them, they'd have an IQ of 2."

"Hey!" said Panic.

They entered the throne room, and Persephone dumped them on the floor.

"If they're not up to anything, then what were they doing by the Fates' tapestry?" said Hades.

"We told you, we were talking about the weather," said Pain. Panic gave him a thumbs up.

"Sure ya were," said Hades indignantly, "And I'm Aphrodite."

"You're not Aphrodite," said Pain.

Hades sighed. "Oy…"

Panic sighed, too.

"What?" said Pain. He took a step towards Panic, and fell flat on his face. The two stared at each other, wide-eyed.

"Uh-oh," said Panic nervously.

Pain made a whimpering noise. "Maybe…maybe if we don't move…then we won't—"

He and Panic had both gotten up, and had started to walk in circles around Hades and Persephone.

Panic groaned as Hades glared at them and Persephone raised an eyebrow.

"They did say that they were gonna make us trip, no matter what," whispered Pain to Panic.

Panic grimaced. "Wonderful."

"I know…Hades is going to _kill_ us—WHOA!" He tripped on his tail, slammed into Panic, who slammed into Persephone, who fell onto Hades in another kiss.

Panic glared at Pain.

* * *

"Ok…spin that there…and them there…put them over there…and put him behind her…ok…" directed Atropos, standing besides the Tapestry of Fate with Lachesis as Clotho hurried to spin everything in.

"Is that enough people?" gasped Clotho, exhausted.

"We need enough so that Persephone will get annoyed," said Lachesis.

"I think…that this is fine," panted Clotho.

"Where's Charon? Throw Charon in the mix, too," said Atropos.

Clotho grumbled, but took the thread Lachesis handed her, and spun it into the Tapestry.

* * *

By now, a huge crowd had gathered around the two. This crowd consisted of Pain and Panic, of course, Tisiphone, Alecto, and Megaera, who were the three furies, a few demons, and lots and lots of assorted ghosts and monsters. Everyone, actually, except for the Fates (who were busy spinning all this into their tapestry).

Through the corner of her eye, Persephone observed the crowd gathered with some annoyance. It was hard to enjoy yourself, even when kissing someone you absolutely loved, when everyone in the Underworld was gawking at you.

* * *

"Ok, Clotho, that's enough," ordered Lachesis. The youngest fate stepped away from the Tapestry, and let Lachesis and Atropos take over. Lachesis stood, poised and ready with her threads, while Atropos motioned for Clotho.

"Come on…" breathed Atropos, "Ready, Clotho…any second now…"

* * *

Persephone rolled her eyes.

Now that she was no longer a prisoner, she could materialize wherever she wanted whenever she wanted. And she could bring others with her.

So, that's what she decided to do. She snapped her fingers, hoping to transport them to a deeper part of the Underworld where no-one could sit and stare at them.

* * *

"NOW!" screeched Atropos and Clotho hurriedly spun into the tapestry.

They had altered Persephone and Hades' destination.

And instead of appearing deeper in the Underworld, they arrived someplace totally different.

His bedroom.

* * *

~Author's Note~ Yeah, yeah, sorry, for the Harley Quinn comment. ^.^ Hades and Persephone are my favorite couple. The Joker and Harley are my second favorite.


	21. Part 21: Chapter XX

**This Persephone and Menthe are MINE! Anyone who uses them without my permission gets attacked by Cerberus.**

**Every other character/place/whatever else belongs to Disney. Use them at your own risk.**

**The REAL Cosmic Couple**

Chapter XX-- Persephone Cries, and Hecate Prepares

_Ha. And to think I wanted to be a virgin goddess…_

Persephone had never been the goddess of her mother's dreams—sweet, innocent, kind and pure; someone who listened to mommy and didn't do 'bad things.'

One by one, as Persephone got older, Demeter checked everything off her 'list.'

Persephone wasn't sweet (most of the time).

She wasn't innocent.

She wasn't always kind.

She most certainly wasn't pure.

She almost never listened to Demeter.

And, yes, she did 'bad things.'

Or at least what her mother would deem 'bad.'

Persephone had a feeling that this was one of those things. At least, if they ever went back to Mt. Olympus, Hades couldn't get blamed for what they had just done.

It had been all _her_ idea. Persephone could only imagine how her mother would respond if she found out about this.

_It must have been the Fates'…they must have wanted to speed things along…_ She smiled dryly. _Well, it sure worked, didn't it?_

She glanced at her sleeping husband with another slight smile.

It now totally shocked her that he had been single for so long. Not only was he funny, charming, sweet (at times), and caring (at times), he really was handsome and honestly?...he had a body to _die_ for (Underworld humor—HA!).

Demeter would keel over, have a heart attack, and die.

Persephone didn't give a damn. She was happy; she had a husband who loved her and who she loved, too. He cared about her in a way that made all the others who cared about her seem small and insignificant.

With that said, she yawned, and fell back asleep.

* * *

"…Where are you going?"

Meg scowled. "I'm getting out of here. I've heard _way_ too much for my liking already…let me know when the subject matter turns to something…less gross."

"Oh, relax," scoffed Macaria, "It's honestly not _that_ bad…do you think I would be telling you anything if it was? Sit back down."

"No thanks." She shuddered. "I'm going to see if I can smash the mental images I've gotten out of my mind with a brick." She exited the room.

Hercules shrugged and turned to Macaria. "So was that how you were born?"

She shook her head. "I'm not gonna be around for another few years. Demeter doesn't even know that they're together…which brings me to the next part of the story…"

* * *

Somehow, whilst thinking all the things she was thinking about how 'Demeter wouldn't like this,' and 'Demeter wouldn't approve of that,' and 'Demeter would die if she found out that…' and so on, Persephone hadn't thought one thing.

Demeter didn't know she was here. Demeter was undoubtedly searching frantically for her. And that meant that…

"Hades! Wake up," Persephone said urgently, shaking him.

Hades bolted upright, dazed and confused. "Is the house on fire?" he said groggily, then shook his head, blinked, and looked at Persephone.

"Demeter," she said, visibly pale and nervous.

"Demeter," he repeated, "Right…um…what about—" His eyes grew wide, and suddenly, he understood.

"Oh, _dam_mit," he breathed, growing more panicked by the second."

She nodded, and whispered, "She must be going crazy looking for me…"

"And that means it's only a matter of time before she thinks to look in the Underworld," said Hades, his eyes growing even wider, and his hair flickering wildly.

Persephone buried her face in her hands. "Oh no," she groaned, "This is bad. If she finds me here…I…" She looked at Hades, obviously trying not to cry, "I'll never see you again…"

He bit his lip, knowing full well that she was absolutely right, but not wanting to admit it. "Persephone…we're _married_…I mean, she can't just…split us up—not even Hera can do that."

"That won't stop her," sighed Persephone, "You don't know my mother like I do…"

Hades sighed too. "We're, like, so screwed, aren't we?"

"I can only imagine what she's done to Earth with me gone…"

Hades glanced at her. "Wanna see?"

"See what?"

"What's she's done to Earth."

"You mean go up to Earth?" She shook her head, "We can't, she'll see us—"

"No, I have something better." He took her hand and evaporated with her, reappearing in a small room to the left of the throne room. They were both fully-clothed again.

He picked up a remote that was on the coffee table (ambrosia table?), and pressed a button. A smoky screen popped up in front of them.

"Tartarus Vision—TV, for short," he said, and began pressing buttons wildly; searching for one that would lead him to Earth.

Persephone stood besides him, eyes on the screen as it flashed from place to place to place to place. When he finally found an area with mortals in it, they both gasped.

"They look like…like living skeletons," whispered Persephone hoarsely.

"A famine," echoed Hades.

"She's crazy," said Persephone weakly, "She's really lost her mind…"

Hades glanced at her and realized with a start that she was softly crying. "…Persephone?"

She shook her head sadly. "I have no choice…I have to go back…I have to…I can't let everyone die…but…" She broke down completely. "But I don't _want_ to!"

Hades could feel his heart break—it was small and hard, but still breakable. He felt like crying himself, but he didn't cry—couldn't cry; it was impossible.

"It's not fair…she doesn't even know you," Persephone continued, wiping away tears frantically. She hated crying, but Hades was the best thing in her life. She didn't want to lose him forever. "How can she hate someone she doesn't know?"

"She knows me, just…just, well, not like you do." Hades shrugged. "_No-one_ knows me like you do, babe."

Persephone closed her eyes and let her tears trickle out. "I don't want to go back…"

Hades didn't know what to say. He didn't want her to leave either, but they both knew that she had to.

Instead of saying anything, he wrapped his arms around her.

And they stayed like that for a while; her sobbing, him trying to console her.

* * *

"Ow…" Hecate managed to pick herself off the floor where she had laid, unconscious, for the last few hours.

She knew Menthe had a little obsession with Hades, but honestly.

Seeing Hades and Persephone…y'know… was no reason for Menthe to punch her in the face.

It still hurt. Hecate had a feeling she had a black eye. "Little twerp," she muttered under her breath as her two minions flew over to her.

"Bad night?" said one.

"Didn't sleep much, didja?" said the other. He motioned to the little orb that still displayed Hades and Persephone. "Neither did they."

Hecate rose, and glared at them, shooting a blast of blue magic from her fingertips that hit him between the ears.

"We know you're cranky, but that's no excuse for rudeness," said the other and he got a blast between his eyes.

They yelped, and high-tailed it out of there.

Rolling her eyes, Hecate ran a hand through her hair. "Patience is everything," she reminded herself, "Soon we can kidnap the brat and the Underworld will be all mine…"


	22. Part 22: Chapter XXI

**This Persephone and Menthe are MINE! Anyone who uses them without my permission gets attacked by Cerberus.**

**Every other character/place/whatever else belongs to Disney. Use them at your own risk.**

**The REAL Cosmic Couple**

Chapter XXI-- The Pomegranates Enter the Picture (Hades Defies Physics), Hecate Gets Ready(er), and Zeus Gives Up

"Persephone?" Hades could tell she was trying very hard not to cry.

But she was failing.

Apparently, even the thought of leaving him was unbearable to her.

It killed him to see her like this. Nothing he said or did could shake her off her misery.

This wasn't good.

* * *

She felt awful. Hades must think…she didn't _know_ what he was thinking.

Persephone was caught between Scylla and Charybdis. If she stayed, everyone would die. If she went, she'd never see Hades again. And Persephone couldn't live with either.

She wanted, very badly, to stay with her husband. But it just wasn't the right thing to do.

"Hades…" she whispered.

Hades looked at her, and she felt her heart wrench. _I don't want to leave you…_

"You have to go, don't you," he said quietly. His voice was void of any emotion; though it was clear he was hurting as much as she was.

"I…I don't want to…but…" She wiped away her tears. "I have to."

Hades took her hand. "I'll go with you."

She stared at him in surprise. "…Really? You would do that? And face all of Mt. Olympus?"

"Why not?" he shrugged, "They won't kill me if you're right there…"

She rolled her eyes. "Honestly…is that all I mean to you? A Get-Out-of-Jail-Free card?" she said teasingly.

He smirked. "I take it you're feeling better then?"

"Better then I was before, at least," she said, "But..."

He thought for a second. "You have a …pomegranate fetish, right?"

"A _fetish_?!" She crossed her arms. "I am insulted."

He waved his hand dismissively. "Yeah, yeah, I know, scarred for life, yadda yadda. But you _do_—"

"Sort of. Why?"

He smirked. "Be right back."

He disappeared, and Persephone shrugged. She waved her hand, and a few dozen (dark blue) roses bloomed. She smiled slightly.

That was when Hades reappeared. He tossed her a bottle.

Persephone barely managed to catch it, and when she did, she almost dropped it again.

"Are you trying to get me drunk?" she said immediately, although the slight smile on her face showed she wasn't as angry as she sounded.

Hades blinked. "No!" He paused and looked at her with a dry smirk. "Although…"

Persephone rolled her eyes and she held up the bottle of odd-colored wine he had given her. "Then why'd ya give me this? And…what does this have to do with pomegranates?"

Hades took the bottle in her hands, and turned it around. He handed it back to her. "Read the back."

She raised an eyebrow and began to read out loud. "'…Made entirely out of—'" She broke off and stared at him. "No way. That's impossible."

"Apparently not…"

Persephone gave him a look. "You can't make _wine_ out of pomegranates. It's physiologically impossible. And besides—" She made a face. "—it probably tastes _really_ gross."

Hades returned the look. "First of all, I'm a god—therefore, I can defy physics. And second of all—how unfair is that?! You didn't even try it!"

Persephone eyed it warily. "…I dunno…"

"Never had alcohol before, right?" Hades raised an eyebrow. "And if you think I'm trying to pressure you into drinking, I'm not."

"I've had alcohol. Just not a lot. And I've never actually gotten drunk before…"

Hades shrugged. "Hey, it was just a suggestion. Thought it might make ya feel better…" He took the bottle of pomegranate wine from her hands (again), and went to disappear.

And then she took it back.

"What are you—" started Hades, but Persephone cut him off.

"I said I had never gotten drunk before," she said, a smirk growing on her face, "But I didn't say I didn't _want_ to…"

Hades' eyes widened. _Demeter's really been living in La-La Land, hasn't she?_

* * *

"Oh. My. Gods," said both Hecate and Menthe at the same time, staring, mouths agape, through her orb.

Menthe threw something at the little bubble, and it dissolved. "Hecate…they love each other," she spat, as if each word hurt her to say it, "Can we _please_ kidnap them? PLEASE!?!"

Hecate let out a sigh. "Well..."

Menthe crossed her arms, furious. "LOOK WHAT THEY'RE DOING! The little brat is sitting there getting drunk with him! If we don't do anything now...WHO KNOWS WHAT THEY'LL DO NEXT!"

Hecate shook her head wearily. "Fine. We'll do it tommorow."

Her wolves whooped and high-fived each other.

Menthe let out a sigh of relief. "Thank the gods…"

* * *

"And speaking of gods…" said Macaria, ignoring the shocked look Hercules had on.

Going way out on a limb, Macaria guessed he was shocked about what Persephone had just done (the wine). _Heh. Wait 'til he finds out how much she had…_

* * *

"It's been almost five months," said Zeus, "And there is still no sign of Persephone!"

Demeter looked down at the ground, tears brimming at her eyes again. They were at a meeting of the Olympian Council. Everyone was there—except for Hades and Hecate, who both could not be reached (for obvious reasons).

"It pains me to say this…but…" Zeus took a deep breath, and stared at the ground, "We cannot keep searching for her."

Demeter stood up sharply. "_What_?!" she exclaimed, "My daughter has gone _missing_ and you're giving up?!" She crossed her arms. "I won't have it!"

"Demeter!" cried Zeus, "You must understand—there isn't much we can _do_. She'll come back on her own eventually. Until then, all we can do is wait. And you must make the Earth grow again."

"I will do no such thing!" snapped Demeter, "If it was your child missing, you wouldn't just…give up like that."

She considered what she had just said. "Or maybe you would—you have so many children as it is….with various women all over Greece…"

Hera glared at her husband.

"But my Persephone is all I have!" continued Demeter, "And I won't give up!"

"We can't afford to search any longer. We're all abandoning our duties as gods to search for your daughter. And you, Demeter—the mortals are all starving to death! This cannot and will not go on!" snapped Zeus.

The other gods found it wise to stay out of this.

"It will not go on?" repeated Demeter, "It will go on—until my Persephone is safely in my arms, _nothing_ will grow on Earth!" She vanished, leaving dozens of very shocked gods and goddesses sitting in silence.

Zeus moaned, and buried his face in his hands. "Oh, dear…"

* * *

~Author's Note~ Ok, let me just say right now that I KNOW that (in this day and age, that is) it's impossible to make wine out of pomegranates.

But as Hades puts it: "...I'm a god—therefore, I can defy physics."

So please don't leave me a bunch of reviews saying that 'it's impossible to make wine out of pomegranates,' and 'you can't make pomegranate wine,' and blah, blah, blah. Any other review is fine, though! Thanks!

(And sorry for shortness T.T)


	23. Part 23: Chapter XXII

**This Persephone and Menthe are MINE! Anyone who uses them without my permission gets attacked by Cerberus.**

**Every other character/place/whatever else belongs to Disney. Use them at your own risk.**

**The REAL Cosmic Couple**

Chapter XXII-- Persephone is Re-Kidnapped

It was so infuriating that Persephone wanted to scream. Infuriating and incredibly embarrassing, too.

Kidnapped again.

Being kidnapped once was bad enough. Being kidnapped for a second time was just humiliating.

Persephone didn't even know who her kidnapper was. Some woman who floated—dressed in shades of blue and purple with a pointed headdress and fangs.

_Why does she remind me of Hades? _Persephone wondered half-heartedly, as she tested her bindings.

Thick white…stuff. Possibly tons of spider webs. Whatever it was, it was unbelievably strong, and it was wrapped entirely around her body and mouth. And it didn't help her hangover either (remember the pomegranate wine she drank the other night?).

The woman—whoever she was—had cornered Persephone in her room and had thrown the webs over her, using some sort of magic. Persephone probably could have managed to fight back.

But the woman's icy whisper—_"Be a good girl and maybe—maybe—you'll get to see your husband again."_—had scared her into sort of an obedient silence. And Persephone cursed at herself for doing so; for being so weak.

Laying, immobile, in the chariot of her captor, she could only imagine what Hades was thinking.

* * *

"WHERE IS SHE?!"

"We don't _know,_ she's just gone," stammered Panic.

"Maybe she ran away?" suggested Pain.

Hades ran a hand through his hand nervously. "No, no, she—she wouldn't do that, she told me—" No. No. Persephone wouldn't be that cruel to him.

But still…

_What if she had made everything up in order to escape from him?_

Hades bit his lip, and sank into his throne. "Just—just go look around some more," he said shakily. She couldn't have. She…she _cared_ about him, she loved him, she wouldn't have—

But she was smart. She could have done it. She could have just been making it all up, pretending she loved him, pretending she wanted him. Pretending everything was real.

Hades was suddenly feeling very small, very hurt, and very alone.

* * *

"Yoo-hoo…" sing-songed Hecate, her image appearing in smoke behind Menthe.

It was a handy trick. Helped her to be in two places at once. Like, for instance, now.

Menthe jumped, startled. "Hecate!" she gasped, "I didn't see you there…" She stumbled forwards and accidentally crashed into the image, which dissipated and reformed. "But…you're _not_ there," said Menthe uneasily, standing up and dusting herself off.

Hecate shrugged. "Well, I can't be in two places at once…well, not for _real_, that is…" She glanced behind her, and then placed a finger to her lips. "But keep your voice down—there's—" She glanced behind her, a wicked smirk spreading across her face, "—_something_ in the back of the chariot."

"…Something?...what do you—oh!" Menthe covered her own mouth, looked both ways, and leaned in close to Hecate's image. "Persephone, you mean…" she whispered.

"_Duh_…"

"I take it everything went according to plan, then?" said Menthe.

"Our little prisoner is petrified. She hasn't even tried to escape once." The witch paused. "Send my wolves over—I'm almost here."

Menthe nodded, and motioned with her arm to the two flying hellhounds. They winked and flew off.

Of course, Hecate could have just carried Persephone here herself, but being flown in by two wolves with razor sharp claws and teeth was worse. It was the little details that mattered…

* * *

"Nothing?" said Hades, already knowing what the answer would be.

Pain and Panic shook their heads, confirming his suspicions immediately.

Hades raised his hand, and for a second the two imps thought he was going to zap them.

Instead, he just waved them away sadly. The goddess of his dreams had left him. _Left_ him.

He hadn't cried in over 800 years. But his streak was about to break.

Against his will, as the case was, but still…

Hades felt so stupid. Everything Persephone had said—everything she had done—a lie. And he had fallen for it. All of it.

With a whirl of smoke, he disappeared and reappeared in Persephone's room.

Sighing heavily, Hades moved to the huge window and stared out at his kingdom. The Underworld was huge.

It seemed even bigger when you were alone. He let out a shaky sigh, and sat down on the edge of her bed, absentmindedly putting his hand on the bed besides him.

He didn't expect to find something under his hand. Surprised, Hades closed his fingers around the object and looked at it.

A flower, a black flower. Persephone's flower.

He, with the flower still in his hand, rose and crossed the room to the window again, feeling tears come to his eyes. It had been so long since he had--

Wait.

The flower was attached to a string. The string was attached to something hanging over the edge of the bed. Hades pulled at it, found that it wouldn't move, and went to the other side of the bed.

His eyes widened.

A headdress.  
A blue headdress.  
A blue pointy headdress.  
_Hecate's_ blue pointy headdress.

"It can't be…" he breathed, "It…it just _can't_ be…"

However, there was another string attached to the headdress. Hades followed the string to a tiny piece of a scroll.

Two words were written on the scroll:

**Find me.**

Pinned to it was Persephone's necklace.

* * *

"Witch," spat Persephone bitterly, after being dropped on the floor by Hecate's twin wolves.

Hecate beamed. "Thank you!"

Persephone glared at her, arms and legs still bound together, and her face covered in claw marks from the wolves. "If Hades finds out about this, you're screwed," she snapped.

Hecate rolled her eyes, and smirked. "Of _course_, Persephone…now," She clapped her hands, and one of her wolves, pushed Persephone into a large iron cage, "You just try to relax and soon enough your husband will come to save you and we'll _all_ be happy. 'Kay?" She vanished, and the wolves flew away.

"Bye bye now!" called one.

Persephone scowled. Obviously (and it was quite obvious), this was some sort of a trap. And she was the bait. Sheesh.

"Psst!"

Persephone looked up sharply. "Wha—who—who's there?" she whispered, managing to sound furious through her whisper.

"Persephone!" cried Menthe, although her cry was soft.

"Menthe?!" gasped Persephone, sitting up in her cage, "How did you—how are you here? How did you get here? _Why_ did you get here? I mean—why—"

"I'm here to help," she whispered in return, and she ran over to Persephone's cage, picking up a sharp stick that was next to it. "Hold still, ok?"

Persephone nodded. "Trying to get the lock off?" she started to say, but then—

She let out a choked gasp as the pointed stick crashed between her ribs. "Menthe—" she managed to say, "Wh-what are you—"

Another jab from the stick silenced her.

"You said you were here to help!" protested Persephone, weakly noticing that she was ichor-ing in several spots. And it hurt like mad, too.

"I _did _say I was going to help," said Menthe innocently, as Hecate appeared next to her, "I just didn't say I was going to help you."

The witch and the nymph both simultaneously sneered as Persephone's eyes widened—both in fear and in pain.

Persephone could only hope that Hades would come.

And with a sinking feeling, she realized that they were both hoping the same thing.


	24. Part 24: Chapter XXIII

**This Persephone and Menthe are MINE! Anyone who uses them without my permission gets attacked by Cerberus.**

**Every other character/place/whatever else belongs to Disney. Use them at your own risk.**

**The REAL Cosmic Couple**

Chapter XXIII-- Menthe and Persephone Argue (Over Hades)

It was unbelievable, but Persephone knew it was true.

Menthe.

She had been Persephone's best friend and best employee for…for…for…for practically forever.

Menthe had never felt the same way. Menthe had been plotting against her for…how long? A long time, undoubtedly.

Persephone let out another gasp as the stick stabbed at her skin again. Ichor. Ichor everywhere. The sight of her own ichor made her sick.

The sight of Menthe's smiling face made her sicker.

"Explain," said Persephone, her voice raspy, but still clear, "Explain everything."

Menthe glanced at Hecate, who shrugged and mouthed, 'Why not?'

"I'll explain everything _slowly_, so I don't confuse you, 'kay?" said Menthe, adding a (fake) bright smile at the end of the sentence. "Hecate and I plotted to kidnap you, and we did, and now we're waiting for Hades to come and save you so we can trade your freedom for the Underworld."

Persephone's eyes widened. "You can't do that. Hades would never fall for something as simple as—"

"Actually, you'd be surprised," interrupted Hecate, studying her fingernails casually. With a smirk she added, "People do crazy things when they're in love."

Persephone made a snorting sound. "How cliché."

Menthe rolled her eyes, "You're telling me…"

Hecate shrugged. "I've heard cliché-er."

"You're not going to get away with this," snapped Persephone, to which Hecate responded, "See, like that. Cliché-er."

Persephone scowled, and Menthe jabbed her with the stick again.

Wincing in pain, Persephone couldn't help it. "What, can't you come up with anything worse then making me look like Swiss cheese?" she taunted, a daring smirk appearing on her face.

_

* * *

_

Yeeow.

Ok, _that _one, she hadn't seen coming. Apparently, two talking, flying dogs could cause a very large amount of pain. Apparently, the dogs had claws and teeth even bigger then their mouths. And apparently, Persephone's immortality was the only thing keeping her alive right now. That small fact didn't affect the insults streaming out of her mouth.

"How do you sleep at night?" she persisted wryly, her smirk fainter but still there, "How can you torture an innocent goddess without feeling even the teeniest, tiniest amount of remorse."

"Innocent," repeated Hecate and Menthe, glancing at each other and then bursting out laughing. All four of them were in hysterics (wolves included).

Through gritted teeth, Persephone said, "What's so funny?"

"We saw…w-what you did with…with…" Hecate burst into laughter again, "Oh, I can't, it's too much!" Menthe, too, was almost in tears from laughing.

Persephone understood immediately, and she narrowed her eyes, her face flushing slightly. "You…_didn't_…"

"We did, we did!" cried Hecate, "And if mommy finds out what you two did—"

"—Sephy gets punished!" finished Menthe.

"And Hades gets strangled," added Hecate, re-adjusting her headdress, and smoothing out her dress, "Anyway…"

"What I do with my husband is my business—" started Persephone.

"—and his," muttered Menthe.

"What I do with my husband is _my_ business and mine alone," she continued, ignoring Menthe, "And if you two _perverts_ want to watch, then that's_ your_ business. But don't make fun of me because neither of you can get a man." She stuck her tongue out and turned her back to them, ignoring the pain that was shooting through every inch of her.

Hecate rolled her eyes, but Menthe walked to Persephone's cage and kneeled next to her.

"The only man I want is married," she hissed, "But I _will_ have him, no matter what it takes."

Persephone raised an eyebrow.

Menthe stood up. "I'll be fair and include you in this…if he's married, then the only way to get him is to maim his wife, right?"

Persephone yawned, and nodded.

"Or at least hurt her real bad, _right_?"

"Mm-hmm…"

"So you agree with me on this?" said Menthe, picking up her stick.

Persephone stared at her blankly. "…Sure…"

Menthe gritted her teeth, and rammed the stick into Persephone's side.

She gasped in surprise (and pain). "Menthe! What—what'd ya do _that_ for?!"

"The man I love—the man I _want_—is Hades, and I will have him," said Menthe, holding the point of her stick at Persephone's throat, "I hope we've reached an understanding, hmm?"

Hecate, from the other side of the room, mused, "She's coming along well, isn't she?"

Persephone felt her insides turn to ice (not literally—duh). "You…you can't have him," she said, narrowing her eyes, and jerking the stick away from her.

"I can so have him," argued Menthe, "As long as Hecate keeps her end of the deal, I can."

Persephone's eyes swiveled to the witch. "You promised her my husband in exchange for her service?...That's pretty low."

Hecate shrugged. "Whatever works."

Persephone opened her mouth to say something, but Menthe's stick stabbed her again.

Somehow, she managed to move herself to a sitting position. "For how long?" she asked, blinking several times to try and clear her head. Although she was still conscious, Persephone had been stabbed so many times it was beginning to make her light-headed. _Loss of ichor will do that to you…_

Menthe sighed happily, happy to be talking about something _she_ wanted ot talk about. "From the moment I saw him," she said, standing up and fingering her stick. "I've been trying for _years _to get Hades to notice me." Her expression grew dark. "It's totally unfair how you…" Menthe searched for the right word. "…how you bewitched him into falling in love with you."

It was so ridiculous Persephone almost laughed. "Be_witched_ him?! I didn't do a thing—he saw me, he liked me, he kidnapped me." Tossing her hair behind her (bleeding) shoulder, she added, "I really didn't have a say in the matter. He even forced me to marry him."

"I don't care!" protested Menthe, "He loves _you!_ I don't give a damn whether you love him or not—the important thing is he doesn't like _me!_" She lifted her stick to Persephone again, and pulled back her arm to stab her again.

Hecate's hand stopped her. "If she's disfigured, Hades won't want her," she scolded, "And then our plan goes haywire."

Persephone cringed, and reached automatically for her necklace. "HEY!"

Everyone turned to look at her.

"_Where's my necklace?!_" demanded Persephone, balling up her hands, and scowling angrily, "Nothing better have happened to it! _And I'm not kidding!_ Where is it?!"

"It's in good hands."

Persephone and Menthe both gasped, and looked at the door to where Hades was standing, dangling Persephone's necklace between his fingers.

And smirking.


	25. Part 25: Chapter XXIV

**_This _Persephone and Menthe are MINE! Anyone who uses them without my permission gets attacked by Cerberus.**

**Every other character/place/whatever else belongs to Disney. Use them at your own risk.**

**_The REAL Cosmic Couple_**

Chapter XXIV-- Hades and Hecate Negotiate

"Nice entrance," said Hecate dryly, as Hades walked calmly over to her (tossing the necklace to Persephone as he did).

"Style is everything," he said, just as dryly, "Now…then…" Suddenly and without warning, he flared bright red. "Let's talk _business_, shall we?"

"I'm up for a…negotiation," said Hecate, raising an eyebrow.

Hades blinked a few times, then smirked. "A _negotiation?_ You want to negotiate? Ok…" He pressed his palms together, and then after a second he grabbed Hecate by the collar and lifted her to his eye level. "Here's a negotiation…how about you let Persephone go and I _don't _rip off your head?"

Hecate remained calm. "Come now, Hades, we must control our temper…" she chided, a slight smirk of her own playing on her lips, "We wouldn't something unfortunate to happen the next time you have an outburst like that, hmm?" She nodded to Menthe, who, as if on cue, held the point of her stick to Persephone's throat.

Persephone blinked, and gulped.

Hades glanced to Persephone, back to Hecate, and then released the witch. "Don't touch her," he said finally, "What do you want?"

"Oh no, he won't fall for it at all," said Menthe sarcastically to Persephone, "Excellent judge of character ya have there."

"Oh, shut up," snapped Persephone, "You don't know anything."

"Ladies," said Hecate, grinning crookedly, "Please. Let the big kids talk business, hmm?"

"Witch," spat Hades.

"Thank you!" said Hecate, "Now then. If we could talk some place in private, how about…"

Hades sighed, cringing inwardly. "_Why_ do I think I'm not gonna like this at all?"

Leading him by the arm to another small room, Hecate muttered to herself, "Because you're _not_…"

* * *

"You're crazy." Hades stared at her from across the table.

"I'm not," Hecate crossed her arms solemnly, "I'm making an offer."

"Then it's the offer that's crazy," he replied.

"It's a simple offer."

Hades leaned back. "One of the two is crazy. If it's not the offer, then it's you." He tilted his head. "Am I right?"

"Oh, please. It's a reasonable offer," Hecate scoffed, "You're being overly dramatic." She smirked wryly. "Then again, that's sort of how you work isn't it?"

He ignored the last comment. "A reasonable offer? You call _that_ a _reasonable_ offer?! All of this is _reasonable_ to you?!" He stood, shaking his head in disbelief. "You are crazy. The last time I checked, asking someone to choose between their wife and their kingdom is _not_ reasonable."

"It's Persephone or the Underworld," was all Hecate said. That, and, "Pick one."

Hades stared at her, with even more disbelief then before. "And just _how_ does a person _make_ a decision like that?! I sincerely doubt that 'Eeenie Meenie Minie Moe' will work in this case…"

"Don't tell me that you have to _think_ about this!" exclaimed Hecate, feigning surprise. She stood up as well and floated to Hades, who stood with a scowl, arms crossed. "Shouldn't it be simple for you?"

"…what do you mean by that?" he said suspiciously.

"Don't get worked up. It's nothing of real importance…" The crooked grin returned. "Just…Menthe and I have been keeping an eye on you since Persephone's oh-so-suspicious kidnapping…"

"You—" His voice broke off, and Hades looked at her. "Ah, _jeez_…"

She shrugged. "Granted, I did receive a _little _more then I bargained for…"

Hades understood immediately, and attempted (and succeeded) to cover up his disgusted surprise. "Hmmph…I always knew you liked that sort of stuff." He smirked.

Hecate scowled. "Shut up. _You're_ the perverted one…kidnapping a girl half your age, forcing her to marry you, and then…well, you know. If I didn't know better, I'd call you a pedophile."

Hades blinked. "Sheesh. And I thought I was the evil one." Under his breath, he muttered, "_Pedo_phile…jeez…"

"_Any_way…" Hecate clapped her hands, and returned to her seat. "What's it gonna be? Your lovely wife? Or the lovely Underworld?"

He thought for a second. And then, with the tone of a three-year old child, he whined, "Do I _have_ to?!"

"It's one or the other, and nothing in between," said Hecate firmly.

Hades sighed dejectedly. He was trapped. He couldn't give up Persephone, not in a million years would he ever. But… "I can't give up the Underworld," he said suddenly, and he sat down, slumping in his seat.

Hecate's eyes flashed, but other then that she showed no sign of anger. "And why not?"

He debated with himself. He couldn't tell her, could he? He had never told anyone—sure, some people (like Rhea, for example) had known it from the start, but other then that… And honestly, if he had to tell _someone_, it wouldn't be Hecate. But Persephone was being tormented in the next room, and for her… "I'm the only one," he said finally, "who can rule the place."

Hecate managed to control her temper. "Isn't that a little conceited?"

"I'm not being conceited. It's a fact. Talk to the Fates if ya don't believe me." It was the only reason he was so attached to the Underworld. Hades was the only one who could successfully run it, and he was (sort of) proud about that. If he ever ended up ruling the universe, he'd rule the Underworld too. He didn't have a choice.

"That's ridiculous," she protested, "And it can't be possible."

"If I gave you the Underworld, you wouldn't last XX minutes," he said flatly, "All the creatures would tear you to shreds. And then all the other beings that live there—the five river gods/goddesses, the Furies, the Miseries, the Curses, the Madnesses, the Retailations etc.—would kill you. Literally." Hades shrugged half-heartedly. "It really doesn't make a difference to them that you're immortal. They'll find a way."

Hecate narrowed her eyes. "Liar," she spat.

"I'm the only one that they'll listen to. Me and—" Hades broke off abruptly as he realized that the entire time Persephoen had been down there, nothing had even tried to attack her… "Me…and Persephone," he finished hoarsely. "She was _meant_ to be Queen."

"Make your decision," hissed Hecate. She was done with hearing this jibber-jabber, the lies that she was sure he was telling her just to scare her—ghost stories.

"If I gave up the Underworld…all Hades would break loose," he said quietly, "And the universe would be plunged into turmoil—more then it already is, thanks to my _lovely_ mother-in-law, Demeter…" Hades shook his head and looked upwards absentmindedly. "Everything would be utter chaos. You have no idea how dreadfully insane it would be…"

"But you're willing to risk it all for Persephone, aren't you?" she questioned tentatively, feeling her anger start to boil over. Ridiculous. Ridiculous! It was all ridiculous.

Hades thought for a second. "Yeah," he said.

"And your choice is…?" she pressed, leaning forwards slightly. All her anger disappeared. So close, so close!

He wanted Persephone back. He needed Persephone back, and she felt the same way, he had seen it in her eyes. But she was smart. And she had a good heart.

And Hades decided to do what she would have wanted him to do.

With a heavy heart that was growing heavier by the second, Hades said quietly, "I choose to keep the Underworld."

* * *

~Author's Note~ Happy Valentine's Day to everyone!


	26. Part 26: Chapter XXV

**_This _Persephone and Menthe are MINE! Anyone who uses them without my permission gets attacked by Cerberus.**

**Every other character/place/whatever else belongs to Disney. Use them at your own risk.**

**_The REAL Cosmic Couple_**

Chapter XXV-- Hecate is Furious and Menthe Seals Her Fate

Persephone swallowed hard. Menthe had let her out of the cage, but had not stopped stabbing her with the stick. And Persephone wanted to get out of here. She wanted to get far away from here, go back to Hades, and go back to the Underworld. She wanted Hades to pick her and leave. She would have let him.

No. No, she wouldn't have let him. The Underworld, the state of the Underworld, was much more important then she was. If Hades chose her over the Underworld, she'd have to kill him.

Persephone was sure she wouldn't have to go that far. He wasn't that stupid. He'd make the right decision.

Hecate's scream of rage in the other room confirmed it. He _wasn't_ that stupid. And he _had_ made the right decision.

* * *

Barely, Hecate managed to control her anger. For a few minutes, at least. "Excuse me?"

Hades smirked. "You're excused."

"But…but…" She clenched her fists, and gritted her teeth. "Are you out of your mind? _Why_ would you pick the Underworld over Persephone?"

"If I had picked her, she would have been furious with me," he said calmly, "Besides…she's a good kid—doesn't want to hurt other people and other junk like that. Frankly, I think that whole 'good deeds' system is way overrated, but I'm not arguing with her…"

Hecate glared at him, breathing heavily. Her plan had failed. Completely failed.

And, good gods, she wanted to strangle him.

"Now," said Hades, standing up, "If ya don't mind I'd like to say good-bye to Persephone…"

Silent with shock, Hecate pushed the door open, and he walked outside, her following.

* * *

As soon as Hades walked out the door, Persephone rushed over to him. She was sure he had made the right choice, but still…it didn't hurt to be _absolutely_ sure.

"Hades…_tell_ me you didn't give up the Und—"

"I didn't," he interrupted. He gave her a sad smile.

Persephone sighed with relief, and hugged him. The hug turned into a kiss in no time.

Menthe dashed up to Hecate in shock, trying not to outright retch at the sigh before her. "He didn't—he didn't _actually_ choose the Underworld over…over…?" Her voice trailed off.

Hecate scowled. "He did."

Menthe blinked, and shook her head angrily. "I don't believe it! How could that have happ—well…" She paused. "At least this way, I can still get him, right?"

"I suppose so…" said Hecate. And then her face lit up. "I have an idea! Gimme your stick." Menthe nodded, and handed it to Hecate.

"Hades," said Hecate, and the couple broke apart and looked at her. She was hiding the stick behind her back.

"Hades, we all know you were trying to do the right thing…" she continued, "And you _did_ do the right thing! For the mortals, that is…but was it the right thing for Persephone?"

Menthe pulled Persephone away from Hades and forced her to stand by Hecate.

Hades narrowed his eyes—focused half on Hecate and half on Persephone. "What do you mean?"

"Persephone 'belongs' to us now…And we are free to do whatever we want to her…that was part of our 'deal,' remember? And you can't do a thing about it." Hecate's smile broadened, as she took the stick out from behind her back…

…and stabbed Persephone in the stomach.

Hades gasped as Persephone let out a choked cry and fell backwards. The stick had gone right through her.

"Is she dead?" said Hecate, and she broke the stick in half, then in quarters. "Of course not. She's immortal. Is she paralyzed for life? Perhaps…"

Menthe chimed in, "She has a hole in her middle—she looks like a donut!"

He stared at her, then at Persephone, then at Hecate, looking between the three, unable to register what had just happened.

_Hecate had taken a sharp stick. Hecate had run said sharp stick straight through Persephone. And Persephone was now unconscious in a pool of her own ichor._

Hecate had done _a lot_ of unbelievably daring things in the past. This topped them all off.

But Hades was in a state of utter shock. He stood frozen to the spot; his only movement was turning from blue/grey to a red/orange in a time span of three seconds.

"And now that she's out of the way," said Hecate, tossing the pieces of the stick on the floor, "Let's talk about something different, ok? Since you and Persephone…er…'split up,' for lack of a better word, it's going to be _awfully_ lonely in the big ol' Underworld, right? And I'll bet you were getting rather attached to life as a husband, too."

By now, the entire room was cast in an orange glow thanks to Hades' rapidly changing skin and hair color. He didn't answer her.

"But don't worry…we've got someone else for you," Hecate went on, observing the confused look that was spreading across Hades' face, "Say hello to Menthe."

Right on cue, the green tinted nymph bounded over to Hades, who automatically stepped back.

"Hold it," he said, regaining his senses (sort of) and his personality as well, "Time out. There must be something…I'm not getting here. There's gotta be something someone forgot to tell me…'cuz the last time I checked, _you—_" He pointed at Hecate, "—cannot order me around…_and_ you absolutely can_not_ set me up with _any_one at _all_, especially _HER!" _He glared at Menthe, who pouted.

"Now, that wasn't very nice."

Hades made a face. "Yecch." He pushed her away from him.

Hecate shrugged and grinned. "I think you two'll get along fine."

Hades scowled at Hecate. "Very funny…" He pushed Menthe, who had reattached herself to him, away again.

She stood back, hands on her hips, and said, "I think it's funny how you _still_ haven't recognized me."

Hades blinked, and looked at her. Suddenly, his eyes opened wide. "Oh gods…" He turned to Hecate, "Out of _every_one in the entire universe, you pair me up with my stalker. Nice, Hecate, nice…"

"Stalker? How cute, he has a pet name for you," said Hecate, glancing at Menthe who beamed.

"I promise you'll like me if you give me a chance," she giggled, attaching herself to Hades again, who groaned.

"Get off me," he snapped, "I don't like you, I never did like you, and now you're just annoying the hell outta me. Whatever 'methods of seduction' you're trying are _not_ working. Leave me alone." He pried her off him again, only to have Menthe wrap her arms around him.

"That's not giving me a chance," she said sweetly, "Hey—I can be every bit of whatever Persephone was for you, and I mean it."

"I sincerely doubt that," Hades said, growing more and more annoyed by the second. At the mention of his wife's name, his eyes had traveled to where Persephone lay. He hoped she was alright. If she wasn't, he'd never forgive himself…

"Please???" said Menthe again, "Just let me _try—_oof!"

Hades had managed to unhook her arms, and had dumped her on the floor.

"I'm getting tired of this. Aren't you, Menthe?" said Hecate, and as Hades grew close to exploding, she shot out her magic at him. Immediately, he was wrapped in her spiderweb-thingys.

"No _fair_!" protested Hades, flaring up even more. Fortunately (for Hecate and Menthe, at least), the bindings were fireproof. And god-proof.

"When have I ever played fair?" said Hecate, crossing her arms.

Hades narrowed his eyes. "And that's _my_ line."

Menthe giggled again. "Ooh, possessive. But everyone has flaws, huh?"

Hades resumed glaring at her. "Yes. Your flaw is that you're incredibly annoying."

Menthe giggled _again_, and turned to Hecate. "Lookit, I think he's flirting with me."

Hades groaned again, and rolled his eyes. Damn this nymph. It was a good thing Persephone was unconscious. If she had seen this exchange, she would have flipped.

But Persephone, in fact, was _not _unconscious. And she was, in fact, viewing this exchange, however weakly. Still, order to flip, she would need just _one_ more thing to push her over the edge, restoring her strength and anger.

It was at that moment that Menthe (perhaps being urged on by Hecate) leaned in and kissed Hades, though against his will entirely.

And Persephone was pushed over the edge.

Menthe had just sealed her fate.


	27. Part 27: Chapter XXVI

**_This _Persephone and Menthe are MINE! Anyone who uses them without my permission gets attacked by Cerberus.**

**Every other character/place/whatever else belongs to Disney. Use them at your own risk.**

**_The REAL Cosmic Couple_**

Chapter XXVI-- Persephone Punishes Menthe (and Does it With Style)

The shocked silence that filled the room was the response to:

Α) – Persephone had stood up as if nothing had ever happened.

Β)- Persephone's stab wound had healed, in front of everyone, in about four seconds.

C)- Persephone was now screaming out a series of curses, directed mainly at Menthe, who had quickly separated from Hades and was pressed against the wall with wide eyes.

"—disgusting, miserable excuse for a nymph!" Persephone finally shrieked, and stood there, fists clenched and breathing heavily.

There was a few more seconds of silence. And then Menthe (who was certain that Persephone was still weak) smirked, and said, "Aw…is someone _jealous_?" She smirked wider, and then leaned in and kissed Hades…_again._

* * *

"Wow. Is she ever going learn, or what?" said Meg, who had re-entered the room and was now leaning back in her chair, a partly amused smirk of her own placed on her face.

"Trust me," said Macaria, grinning twistedly, "She's gonna learn."

"Uh-oh…" said Bob.

"Yeah…that, uh…doesn't sound too good," agreed Hercules, "How exactly _is_ she going to learn?"

"You'll see," said Macaria, her twisted grin still in place.

* * *

Persephone stared at Menthe in amazement.

Her blind anger had quickly been rationalized after about a minute of cursing. Ok, so Menthe was attracted to Hades—completely understandable; after all, what was there not to be attracted to? Ok, so Menthe had kissed him—unacceptable, yes, but Menthe hadn't known that Persephone was still conscious and watching—she had just followed what she thought was right, was just following 'her heart's desire' or some garbage like that. Again, understandable. Forgivable.

_But_ Menthe, who quite obviously had seen Persephone stand up, and who quite obviously was now aware that she was watching, had just kissed Hades _again_. _With the knowledge that Persephone was standing there watching. _

Persephone had a feeling that Menthe knew how much it angered her. And she had a feeling that the nymph had kissed Hades again just to piss her off.

_Is it a game to her?_ wondered Persephone, feeling her temper rise around her, surrounding her like a force-field. She was sure Hades, Hecate, Menthe and the wolves could feel her fury radiating off of her.

As Persephone narrowed her eyes and took exactly one step towards Menthe, she thought again, _Does she think this is _funny_??_

Yes, Menthe had separated herself from Hades (who looked absolutely disgusted) and was standing with her arms crossed, a smile on her face.

It was strange how she still thought she was 'untouchable.' Didn't she see that she was in danger? Even Hecate noticed.

"Menthe…you know I'm on your side…but…_maybe_ you might wanna give it a rest, huh?" said Hecate, staring at Persephone and feeling just a trifle nervous at the sight of her. Not even Hades had ever been that mad.

"Why?" said Persephone innocently, looking past her to Hades, who winked, "Am I scaring you?"

"Don't be ridiculous," sneered Hecate, turning her head, "I would never—"

"Oh, don't worry," reassured Persephone, her eyes narrowing slightly, and her lips twisting up in a sick smile, "I'm not angry at _you_…for now…no…it's _Menthe_ who'll be receiving—" Here she paused, and leaned closer to Menthe, whose smile had dimmed slightly, "—the _sharp_ end of my sword."

* * *

He had to give her credit—she had style, lots of style. It was a damn good thing she wasn't mad at _him_. That thought was the only thing keeping Hades from truly panicking; he could tell that whatever she was about to do, it wouldn't be pleasant, and it would be deadly. And stylish. She _did_ have lots of style.

Though Hades wanted to watch the show that would surely be taking place in a few seconds, he had other things to worry about. Such as the fact that there were spider-webby things all over him. Flicking a small flame on his thumb and index finger, he started burning through his bindings, thinking all the while.

_These stupid things aren't that strong…why the hell couldn't I break through them? _said Hades in his head as he watched the thin strings weaken and melt. Then it hit him—_The Fates did it…they didn't _want_ me to break free…'cuz it's Persephone's time to shine…_

His train of thought was brought to a sharp halt when he saw that his young wife was…_transforming._

* * *

Even Hecate's mouth dropped open, and her wolves were speechless.

Menthe felt a pang of fear of her own. Wasn't possible—couldn't happen, Persephone had been run through with a stick, she couldn't be all _that_ well, couldn't be well enough to…to…to do _what_, exactly? What was it she was doing?

What Persephone was doing, she didn't even know herself. It had never happened before. But jealous rage reigned over her thoughts, and the last thing she heard run through her head before she became almost a different person was: _Guess I'm the jealous type._

Her violet eyes flashed and turned a bright, glowing green that took over her irises, her pupils, even the white parts of her eye.

The torn black dress she was wearing changed—like someone had thrown green paint over her—into a new, mossy green chiton.

Persephone's hair became a much lighter blonde color—it was almost white—and several locks of her hair turned green and started to glow. Her pink aura became tinged with the same shade of green.

As an invisible wind began to whip her hair and chiton around, she floated a few feet in the air and stared down at Menthe. Her smile was still present, and it only broadened when she saw that Hades was staring back at her, genuinely amazed.

"P-Persephone," said Menthe, finally (finally!) sensing that something was wrong.

Very wrong.

Persephone smiled a little more, showing teeth. "Oh, I guess this is s'posed to be the part where you beg for mercy," she said, pointing at Menthe, her other hand on her hip, "Right, Hades?"

Hades, who had managed to burn off all of the spider-webs, gave her a thumbs up.

Neither Hecate nor Menthe saw it. They didn't dare take their eyes off Persephone.

"So," Persephone said, and she clapped her hands together once, "I'll skip a step. I don't need to hear you plead with me--I wanna get this done, and I wanna get this done fast, 'k?"

Menthe trembled, then said, "You…you aren't going to…to, like, kill me or anything? R-right?" When she didn't respond straightaway, Menthe added, "We're best friends."

"_Were_ best friends," Persephone corrected mildly, "_Before _you kidnapped me, stabbed me, knocked me 'unconscious,' and then kissed my husband."

Menthe started to object, realized there was nothing to object _to_ and closed her mouth.

"I'm not going to kill you," she continued, "No matter how much of a treacherous slug you are, we _were_ best friends…and if I kill you, you'd just end up in the Underworld with Hades, and then where would we be?"

Menthe blinked; she hadn't even thought of that. Behind her, Hades let out a sigh of relief.

"No…" said Persephone, smiling again, and floating down until she was hovering in front of Menthe, "I won't kill you. I've got something worse planned."

"W-what—wh-what are you…" stammered Menthe, "I-I don't…don't understand…wh—" Her voice broke off as orbs of bright green light formed in Persephone's hands. The orbs became bigger, until their green light enveloped Persephone entirely, and spilled all over Menthe.

The result was horrific. Menthe's scream was caught in her throat as the light washed over her body, forcing her to fold into herself and become smaller and smaller. Her brown hair faded and her hands became broader and vein-y. Her legs molded together.

When Persephone's light dimmed, all that was left of Menthe was a tiny, green plant.

"And Menthe," said Persephone, "becomes mint. End of her story."

Hades, Hecate, and the wolves could only stare.

* * *

~Author's Note~ Oh, Menthe, you stupid thing, you....

*ahem* Anyway...

I apologize for the fact that I haven't updated in so long. It's not that I'm really busy (although I am ^^ but I manage to make 'writing' time anyway), but for this chapter, I had some form of Writer's Block...I knew what to say...I just didn't know how to say it. And this had me stuck for a while. But it's here now!

Next chapter is in progress!


	28. Part 28: Chapter XXVII

**_This _Persephone, Macaria and Menthe are MINE! Anyone who uses them without my permission gets attacked by Cerberus.**

**Every other character/place/whatever else belongs to Disney. Use them at your own risk.**

**_The REAL Cosmic Couple_**

Chapter XXVII-- Hades and Persephone 'Defeat' Hecate and Prepare to Go Up Against the Worst Monster of Them All

It was Hecate who spoke first; a stunned, "Oh my gods" and then nothing more. It was if she was unable to speak.

Hades came up to Persephone, almost breathlessly, and after a minute of speechlessness, said, "Ok, _how_ did you do that?"

Persephone landed lightly, but her hair, eyes and dress still stayed unchanged. "I—" She realized she had been thinking the same thing. "I'm not sure," she said, "It's never happened before."

"But that was…that was amazing!" said Hades, grinning, "_I _can't even do that!"

"No, you just explode when you get mad," replied Persephone, with a grin of her own, "We're kind of evenly matched."

Hades started to retort, but his attention was instead directed to Hecate, who was still staring at the newly created mint plant in awe.

"So, Hecate," said Hades, now with a smirk, "Let's keep our deal, 'k? I get the Underworld…" Here, he paused and lightly pushed Persephone towards Hecate, "…and you get Persephone."

Hecate just looked from Persephone to what used to be Menthe, back and forth and back and forth. Then she said, "About that…ah…perhaps…we can just…call off this whole silly 'deal' thing…right? I mean, there's no need to—"

She broke off abruptly when Hades turned orange and Persephone began to float again.

"Ok, ok…ok, fine…" Hecate bit her lower lip and seemed to be considering her options—eyeing Hades and Persephone all the while.

She seemed to realize that what was happening—her trembling before Hades and his wife—did nothing for her karma points, and only made her look worse (villain-wise).

Her expression changed instantaneously. From her frightened, panicky expression to one of pure hate and anger. She looked to her wolves, then back to Hades.

The twin demons caught the hint and flew to her side, growling and snarling, baring their teeth.

And Hecate raised one finger to Hades and Persephone, a cruel smile creeping onto her face as she commanded: "Sic 'em."

Hades winced and rolled his eyes towards the ceiling with a quick sigh of 'Great…' Honestly, the last thing he needed right now was to be attacked by dogs—and with Persephone on his arm, in her glowy-green-anger mode (which, by the way, she looked extremely hot in), he didn't think would be able to summon what it took to kill these things.

'These things' were smiling, one remarking, "Ah…the thrill of the hunt," before they both lunged at the couple.

Seconds before the winged wolves hit them, Persephone shot up in the air again, and blasted a wave of green light at them.

The light missed one wolf, but hit the other on the tail—he howled and leapt backwards, then twisting around to see that damage.

His tail was now a long thorny vine.

Persephone landed again, Hades beamed at her, Hecate's mouth dropped open again, and the wolves took several steps backwards.

"What are you doing?!" Hecate finally screamed at her minions, "I told you to attack them! ATTACK THEM!"

They only stepped back again.

"What are you, crazy?!" said one.

"Look what she did to my tail!" protested the other, "She'll turn us into freakin' flowers, and then he'll turn us into toast! No way, Hec, I'm outta here." He flew out the door, and his partner followed, calling out, "Seeya!"

Hecate was at a total loss, and she eventually managed to say, "Minions. You just can't find good help these days, huh?"

"_So _true," agreed Hades, "However, _this_ time, I think your minions might have been _right_." He flared up and turned orange again, pulling Persephone, still in anger-mode, but not floating, to him and holding her hand tightly.

They both put on bright (fake) smiles, and stared at Hecate in a way that made her shiver.

"…Hades…?" she said questioningly.

He kept his expression the same, only narrowing his eyes slightly. "If I were you, I'd get out of here," he said, in that same eerily cheerful way.

Persephone's smile brightened as she added, "Before we do something painful to you."

Hecate's eyes widened, and she, deciding that the best thing to do would be to listen to them, vanished into blue light.

Her voice still echoed through the room: "But don't you worry, Hades, this isn't the last you'll see of me…"

* * *

"They let her go?!" exclaimed Bob, "Why on Earth would they do _that_?!"

"They were in a fairly good mood that moment," said Macaria simply.

Hercules blinked. "But…then they're just gonna have to fight her again and again…" Under his breath he muttered, "And then they're gonna ask me to fight her…"

"I do not know of the logic behind my parents' actions," snapped Macaria to Bob and Hercules, "So kindly stop questioning me and let me finish telling the story. It's almost over anyhow, so you can wait a little longer to ask me stupid questions, ok?"

No-one said anything. Macaria took this as a sign to continue (it pretty much was) and did so:

* * *

"We did it," said Persephone incredulously, as she tried to keep her floating hair in one place. Her nonexistent wind was still blowing her hair and dress around.

"_We?_" said Hades, leaning backwards against nothing, with an extremely satisfied smirk on his face, "We; yeah, right. It was all you, babe."

Persephone grinned. "You helped. I've never acted maniacal before. I couldn't have done it without you."

Hades sneered. "Very funny."

She smirked. "I wasn't kidding." Still trying to calm down her hair (and switch to regular-mode), she walked over to the Menthe-plant and knelt down. "What should we do with her?"

"Burn her," suggested Hades, and a fireball appeared in his hand.

"Oh no. That's just cruel," said Persephone. The little mint plant seemed to think the same thing.

"Step on her."

"That's just plant abuse." She turned her gaze to Hades. "I'm not an abuser."

"Plant abuse, sheesh," he muttered, and then pointed out, "Seph, she looks just like any other plant. She'll get stepped on anyway." He appeared next to her, a devilish smirk on his face. "Don't you want the satisfaction of crushing her first?"

"Vengance isn't my thing," responded Persephone, "and I don't want her to be crushed by anyone." She thought for a second, then waved her hand. Another flash of green spread over Menthe. And then—

"Ok, what did you do, and what is that smell?" said Hades.

"The smell is Menthe," said Persephone, "See, now everyone will smell mint when they come across her, and then no-one will step on her."

Hades was quiet for a second, then said, "I still say we burn her."

Persephone just shook her head, and stood up. Then Hades remembered something, and he put a hand on her glowing green shoulder. "Seph? Are you ok? I mean, Hecate totally stuck that stick straight through you; I don't know how anyone can be ok after that."

"I'm fine," said Persephone, "I'm a goddess, Hades."

"You were unconscious," he pointed out.

"I was not. Weak, yes, unconscious, no."

"I'll bet the only reason you're standing is because you're like _that_." And he gestured towards her and her glowing green-ness.

"I'm _fine_, Hades," insisted Persephone, and then she switched back to normal, her hair not floating around anymore, her dress changing back to tattered black, her hair returning to its normal blonde, and her eyes becoming violet again.

Hades had been right, though;when she changed back, the hole in her middle reappeared, and she collapsed—into Hades' arms.

He smirked despite himself. "You're fine, huh?"

"Shut up," she snapped, but there was the hint of a smile on her face.

He eyed her wound carefully (and suddenly found himself despising Hecate even more then before). After a second he declared, "I can probably fix it, but we'll have to go to the Underworld. And if I can't fix it, Charon'll be able to. I think he has a degree in medical stuff…"

As he carried her away from hecate's cave-hideout, Persephone started to speak again.

"You know we'll still have to go to Mt. Olympus and tell mom I'm ok."

He looked at her as if she had three heads. "Ok? Having a hole in your middle is not OK…"

She gave him a look. "You know what I mean."

"Yeah, yeah, I know." He glanced back towards Hecate's cave. "At least the worst part's over."

"Hardly."

"Huh?"

Persephone gave a short laugh. "You think Hecate's bad? Wait 'til you see my mother in one of her moods. And oh boy, will this be one of her moods." She laughed again, but this time bitterly. "She's the worst monster of them all."

As Hades transported them to the Underworld, he realized he had been thinking the exact same thing.

* * *

~Author's Notes~ LOL for the longest chapter title, like, ever!

Again, my apologies for not updating in a while. Weird Writer's Block again, but the next chapter will come faster, promise!

Also--I apologize if this chapter (what they do with Hecate, I mean) is anti-climatic--but seriously, Hades had just witnessed his wife become even hotter (LOL), turn someone into a plant, AND he has thus discovered she's ok (for the moment at least); he's ecstatically happy, and does not really want to zap Hecate at the moment. Perhaps she's amusing to him?? And anyway, she appears in the series, so I couldn't have them kill her (not to mention she's a goddess).

I'm happy with it. If you're not, oh well; don't read the story. ^^

Keep on reviewing!


	29. Part 29: Chapter XXVIII

**_This _Persephone is MINE! Anyone who uses her without my permission gets attacked by Cerberus.**

**Every other character/place/whatever else belongs to Disney. Use them at your own risk.**

**_The REAL Cosmic Couple_**

Chapter XXVIII- Hades and Persephone Arrive on Mt. Olympus and are Questioned by Hermes

About an hour later, Hades and Persephone (with bandages wrapped around her mid-section where Hecate had stabbed her) were sitting together in a black chariot, headed towards Mt. Olympus. Two black griffins pulled it through the air.

And at least for the thousandth time, Hades turned to Persephone and asked, "She's not gonna, like, kill me, right?"

Persephone gave him a dry look. "For the _thousandth _time, I don't _know_. I'd like to believe that she won't…but, ah, knowing my mother…"

Hades shrunk back in his seat. "I wanted a wife and she's gonna kill me. Oy."

"She'll do more then that," Persephone admitted.

"Wonderful. Did we bring a mop for when my intestines become scattered across the floor?"

"Oh, cut it out," said Persephone, rolling her eyes, "I promise, your intestines will _not _end up scattered across the floor."

Hades muttered something inaudible.

"Honestly, though…I…I'm sort of nervous. I mean, she's crazy; she's crazy and she hates you," Persephone said and paused. "She'll split us up—for good."

"She can't break us up; we're married." He lifted her hand to display her wedding ring.

"I told you already, she'll find a way to do it."

"Hey, babe, if she tries to, you can just go green on her—like you did with Menthe?"

Persephone feigned horror. "She's my mother!" Then she added, "Although, nothing could give me greater joy then seeing Demeter get turned into a weed."

He looked at her with a smirk. "…nothing?"

Persephone sensed what was coming. "Nothing," she replied.

His lips met hers, and they stayed like that for a while. It was a tense kiss, though, since both were extremely nervous about facing Demeter. It _had_ been about six months since Persephone had last seen her mother, and if her mother was out killing all the mortals…

The last thought made Persephone break the kiss with her husband and lean out the side of the chariot to see the mortals down below.

"This is just awful," she said quietly, observing the dozens of frail skeletons crawling about the Earth.

"It's not all bad," said Hades, although he had to admit to himself that it pretty much was, "It's good for business down under."

She gave him such a look that he actually winced.

Both were distracted as the griffins pulled to a stop outside the gates of Mt. Olympus. Both then glanced at each other and cringed.

Uneasily, Hades said, "Seph, babe, y'know, if…if you don't want to do this, then we don't have to. I-I mean, we can just stay in the Underworld and—"

"Are you scared?" inquired Persephone.

He hesitated for a split second, unnoticed by Persephone (well, ok, fine, not really; she saw it). "Don't be ridiculous."

"Well, then come on."

He sighed, and reluctantly followed her out of the chariot, proclaiming, almost annoyed, "You just _love_ seeing me panic, huh?"

Persephone whirled around and smirked at him. "It's cute." Grabbing his hand and thus forcing him to walk up the stairs with her, she opened the gate and stepped inside.

"She's going to kill me," said Hades once more.

Persephone rolled her eyes, and took another step. "Hello! Anybody here?" she called out.

"PERSEPHONE?!" There was a zipping sound, then a 'whump' sound as Hermes sped out from a room and crashed into a cloud column in his excitement.

"Hermes!" cried Persephone, and she ran up to him and hugged him (Hades tried to maintain an expression that didn't involve him looking jealous). "Y'know, out of all the lousy gods and goddesses here, you're really one of the only ones I've missed," she continued, as the messenger god fluttered out of her arms and did a somersault.

"Everyone's been going crazy looking for you!" he gushed, "Demeter's been so scared—we've all been so worried—s'like you just disappeared—we thought you had maybe ran away—couldn't find you anywhere—Demeter sent gods everywhere—where have you been?"

Persephone blinked at this wave of words flowing from Hermes. "It's a really long story. Where's my mother? I'll have to explain it all to her, and then I guess you can listen."

Hermes did another somersault. "But where were you?" Then he spotted Hades, who had been leaning up against a pillar with a scowl/smirk on his face, and asked, "Did you find her?"

"Far from it," responded Hades.

Hermes either didn't hear him or ignored him; whichever, he continued to talk non-stop, asking questions that he didn't let Persephone answer. "What are those bandages for? You're not badly hurt, are you?"

"Well, I—" started Persephone.

"And the dress—_nice_ dress! But where on Olympus did you get a black one?"

"The Und—"

"And that necklace is new, too, right?"

Persephone fingered her skull necklace. "It was a gift from Ha—"

"And is that a _wedding_ ring?"

"Oh, uh…" Persephone hid her hand behind her back hurriedly. "Funny story, actually."

Hermes wasn't listening though, and had moved on to another topic. "So _was _Hades the one who rescued you?"

"In a way, yes," muttered Persephone, glancing at her husband, who rolled his eyes at Hermes, "Now where did you say my mom was?"

"You're just in time, babe," said Hermes, and he finally stopped fluttering to hover directly in front of Persephone. "She's at a meeting with the Big Z and some other gods n' goddesses…they're trying to talk her into making all the greens grow again. Betcha haven't noticed that all the mortals are dying, huh, babe?"

Persephone glanced at Hades.

"But once she sees that you're back, everything'll grow again and it'll be good as new!!"

He grabbed Persephone by the wrist and started to drag her to where Demeter was. She pulled away, turned around, and raised an eyebrow at Hades.

He appeared by her side. "You're not gonna let me talk my way outta here, huh?"

"Not a chance," replied Persephone, crossing her arms firmly.

Hades' face contorted into a grimace. "You'll come to my funeral, right?"

"Would you cut it out?" By the look on her face, she wasn't kidding, and Hades realized that she'd drag him to to Demeter if she had to.

"…Fine…" He reluctantly followed her and Hermes throughout the cloud corridors of Mt. Olympus.

While they walked (Hades, sulkily), Hermes flew ahead of Persephone and talked to her, somewhat skeptical.

"Seph, babe…um, c-can you fill me in here?…you've got a wedding ring, you're dressed in all black, and you're with Hades." Almost pleading (and she knew he was thinking what he thought must be impossible), he said, "_Tell_ me it's all just a coincidence?"

Persephone shrugged, and smiled. "'Fraid not, Fly Boy. You're lookin' at the new Queen of the Underworld."

Hermes froze and stared at her; the only things moving were his helmet-wings and his sandal-wings. Then he doubled over in laughter, doing flips in the air at the sheer ridiculous-ness of it all.

Hades glared at him. "I fail to see the humor," he said coldly, then grabbed the blue god by the throat. "Care to explain the joke?"

Hermes gave a desperate grin. "Uh, hey, ease up Big Guy…you just, ah, don't exactly look like her type…"

Hades only narrowed his eyes. After beiung elbowed in the ribs by Persephone, he released Hermes.

He flew in front of her again. "Perseph, babe, how did this happen? You said it yourself—you wouldn't marry anyone unless it—"

"—was for love," finished Persephone, "I know what I said." She appeared next to Hades, and she put her hand in his. "I _do_ love him."

Hermes raised an eyebrow. "…Do you really?"

She nodded matter-of-factly.

Hermes shook his head slowly, took off his glasses, polished them, then put them back on. "Your mom's not gonna like this, you know."

Hades and Persephone looked at each other. "I know," said Persephone, "But it can't hurt to try and change her mind."

"Can't hurt for _you, _that is," Hades mumbled.

Hermes shrugged. "If that's what you say, then ok…" Blinking several times, he led Hades and Persephone to the room where all the gods and goddesses were.

"Oh, yeah, Demeter's not going to like this…" he muttered, "Not at all…"

* * *

~Author's Notes~ Didn't I say this chapter would come quicker? ;)

Today is the First Day of Spring (Spring Equinox)...Persephone comes back to Earth today!!!


	30. Part 30: Chapter XXIX

**_This _Persephone and Menthe are MINE! Anyone who uses them without my permission gets attacked by Cerberus.**

**Every other character/place/whatever else belongs to Disney. Use them at your own risk.**

**_The REAL Cosmic Couple_**

Chapter XXIX-- Mother and Daughter are Reunited...and Then End up Fighting.

"Demeter, this has gone on long enough," said Zeus sternly, standing up and slamming his hand on the table to prove his point.

Demeter's head was in her hands, and she stared up at Zeus with void and emotionless eyes.

"The loss of Persephone was a tragedy indeed. It was a terrible thing to have happened," he continued, "But it is—but it _was_-a thing of the past. We can't keep mourning over her absence like…like a bunch of mortals. We're gods, by Zeus!"

Typical of Zeus to use his name in that context.

"Gods cannot let the past affect them; we live forever! If we keep being affected by the past, where would we be? No, this needs to stop."

Apollo bowed his head.

"I'm making it a Zeus-decreed law. No more must be spoken of Persephone—we must get on with our immortal lives. And that means­­—" He looked Demeter in the eye, "—that everything must grow again. Are we understood?"

"That's unfair. You're all going to forget about me, just like that? Well, I feel appreciated."

Every head on Olympus swiveled around to the cloud door.

And Demeter gasped. _It can't be…!_

Persephone smirked. "Miss me?"

She found herself being crushed to death (well, if she was mortal…) by her mother, who as crying and exclaiming repeatedly, "My Sephy! You're back, oh where were you, we were so _worried_, we thought something bad had happened to you, we didn't now _where_ you had went, you just disappeared and we were all panicking…"

"Mom!" gasped Persephone, "I'm alright! Let go of me!"

"But my Sephy," said Demeter, tears filling her eyes, "I was so worried about you, I thought something awful had happened…"

Hades had slunk in the room and was now leaning against a pillar, watching these events with a glare. It was just his nature.

"Mom…_mom. _First off…do _not_ call me Sephy. And secondly...I'm fine. Nothing bad happened to me."

Hermes opened his mouth to say something, but Hades clamped a hand around his throat.

"I sent Hecate out to find you, sweetheart, was she the one who saved you?" said Demeter, and she held her daughter at arms length.

Persephone stepped away from her mother, eyes wide. "_You_ sent Hecate out to find me? It was _you_?!" Demeter didn't understand; she nodded. Persephone's mouth dropped open.

"Mother! If I wasn't immortal, she would have killed me!" And she stepped back again to show her the bandages wrapped around her middle.

Demeter gasped. "She…she did that to you? But…how? I didn't…and, and Menthe was supposed to keep an eye on her, make sure she didn't do anything…oh my. Did something happen to Menthe?"

"Menthe was helping Hecate," said Persephone flatly, "And I turned her into a mint plant."

"You…" Demeter raised an eyebrow. "You turned her into…a mint plant? I…I would have expected a flower from you. But, oh well. I'm thrilled that you're getting the hang of your powers! But…but why did Hecate stab you?" It was clear that Demeter thought Persephone had lost her mind.

"It was a scheme to get the Underworld from Hades," she found herself saying, "I was a part of it. They (that's Hecate and Menthe) re-kidnapped me and—"

"_Re_-kidnapped you?"

_Wow. Nice one, Seph, _thought Persephone, stealing a glance at Hades.

Hades shrugged. "She was bound to find out sooner or later."

Demeter looked sharply to Hades, then sharply back to Persephone. 'Persephone," she said, "What are you talking about, re-kidnapped?"

Persephone looked at Hades again. She didn't want to rat him out, but if he said it was ok…"I…I didn't run away," she said slowly, "Hades…kidnapped me."

Demeter stared at her, and her hands flew to her mouth. Kidnapped. Her precious baby had been…kidnapped? By _Hades_?!

"You….monster!" Demeter screamed, and she hurled herself at Hades, vines springing out of the cloud ground and trying to strangle him. "How _dare _you! How dare you snatch my baby away from me, how dare you even go near her! I told you not to! I ordered you not to! YOU HAVE NO RIGHT TO DO SO!!"

"Mom!" cried Persephone, and a vine of her own pulled her mother away from Hades, who took a step backwards. "Cut it out. He had a good reason for kidnapping me!"

"A good reason?" sneered Demeter, 'There s _no_ excuse for harming my precious Sephy!"

"Do _not_ call me that," growled Persephone, "And he most certainly did _not_ harm me. The only thing he did was kidnap me…and, well…" She cut off, but held up her hand so everyone could see her black, skull-shaped wedding ring.

Everyone gaped. Demeter gasped. "You…you _married _my daughter?! You sick, demented—"

"He had a good reason for it!" argued Persephone, and she looked to her husband again. He took another step backwards.

"Seph," he said, "I _really_ don't think this is a good idea—"

"Hades," she said, and nothing more. She looked at him, pleading silently.

Hades seemed to shrink as all eyes became fixed on him.

"You have a good reason for kidnapping my daughter?" said Demeter, arching an eyebrow, "_Do_ tell."

_Oy. My rep's shot. _Shrinking back even more, Hades said, very quietly, but still audibly, "I love her."

Demeter's eyes widened, as did everyone elses' on Mt. Olympus.

Finally Zeus said, "That's cute, Hades, really, but she obviously doesn't love you back. Now, give her to her mother and we'll annul the marriage—"

"Now hold on a second," cut Persephone, folding her arms, "I never said that. I never said that I didn't love him back. Kindly do not jump tp conclusions, especially conclusions concerning my husband and I."

Hades slowly regained his confidence, despite the murderous glares he was receiving.

Zeus laughed, and there was a touch of cruelty in his laughter. "You can't possibly love my baby brother…how could you? And he can't _possibly_ love you. He's incapable of the emotions we feel."

"I'm right _here_, ya know," said Hades, flaring red at this obvious insult.

Zeus pointedly ignored him. "Persephone, let's just clear this mess up right now. Do you or do you not love him?"

"How could she?" snarled Demeter, "The man kidnapped her…and gods know what else he did to her…" She glared at Hades. "Isn't that right, you sick, perverted—"

"Silence!" bellowed Zeus, "Silence and let Persephone speak." He turned to the goddess of spring/queen of the Underworld. "Answer the question—do you or do you _not—"_

"Yes, I do," she said firmly, without even a moment's hesitation, "If I didn't, I wouldn't be willingly wearing _this—_" The wedding ring. "—this—" Her necklace, "—AND Menthe would not be a mint plant today." Matter-of-factly, she added, "She kissed him, y'know."

All of Olympus rolled their eyes.

"This is ridiculous," said Demeter firmly, "My daughter…my Sephy would never ever do something as…as disgusting as falling in _love_ with _Hades_." Shaking her finger in her daughter's face, she cried, "She knows better then that!"

Persephone stood still for a second, boiling over, her arms crossed and a scowl on her face. "_This_ is ridiculous? You're ridiculous! Ridiculous and a total hippocrit! I love him! I've married him. _You're _the one who's been pushing me to get married. And now I do...and you flip out?"

"I told you," said Demeter through clenched teeth, "He is no good. He is pure evil. He'll hurt you. Don't you see? He doesn't love you. He can't love you! He's Hades. Love to him is...is meaningless. Doesn't exist!!!" She scowled. "SO STOP LYING TO YOURSELF! STOP SAYING THAT HE LOVES YOU, STOP SAYING THAT YOU LOVE HIM BECAUSE IT'LL NEVER HAPPEN!!"

"Shows how much you know," retorted Hades, appearing by the side of his wife, flared orange, "I happen to love her very much. Ya know what, DEmeter? I thought the exact same thing...until, that is, I met Persephone, until, that is, I married her, and until, that is, she admitted she felt the same way."

Demeter glared at him. "Liar," she hissed.

"But you won't believe me?" he said, "All of you lousy gods! You won't believe me? Who will you belie--be--hmm...." Smirking now, he said, "Ask the experts, that's what we'll do. See if I'm really capable of love or not. Aphrodite, Cupid...give us the verdict."

"We do love each other, Hades," whispered Persephone to him, "There's no way they'll say we _don't _love each other, right? It's evident that--"

"They're biased," he admitted, "On Zeuses' side. Seph...babe...we might be doomed."

She blinked, and clung to him while the two love deities debated.


	31. Part 31: Chapter XXX

**_This _Persephone is MINE! Anyone who uses her without my permission gets attacked by Cerberus.**

**Every other character/place/whatever else belongs to Disney. Use them at your own risk.**

**_The REAL Cosmic Couple_**

Chapter XXX-- The Experts Make a Decision and Demeter Has Her 'Say'

"Well?" demanded Demeter after several minutes had passed and neither divinity had come to a conclusion.

"Calm down," said Aphrodite, "This is a difficult case—it's hard to tell--"

"But do they 'love' each other?" pressed Demeter, saying the word 'love' with a particularly nasty tone.

"I said, hold _on_ a second!" said Aphrodite, and she walked in another circle around Hades and Persephone, finally moving to whisper with Cupid.

The couple just looked at each other while being examined.

"_Well_?!" said Demeter again after another few minutes had passed.

Cupid looked at Aphrodite, Aphrodite looked at Cupid and they said together, "It's love."

"The strongest type, too," added Cupid.

"True love?" someone in the crowd whispered, and then everyone was talking at once, cries of, 'How can that be!' and 'It's not possible!'

"There must be a mistake," gasped Demeter, storming up to the two love gods, making sure to push her daughter and her son-in-law as she stormed, "Check again!"

"I'm the Goddess of Love, Demeter, if I made a mistake then I'm not doing my job too well," snapped Aphrodite.

"But…but did you…check really hard? Did you make sure double times? I-I mean, twice." She was panicking, the words coming out of her mouth weren't making much sense.

"Hey, I don't tell you how to grow your plants. Don't tell me how to do my job." Aphrodite turned on her darkish pink heel and disappeared into the crowd, Cupid following (with a smirk on his chubby face).

Persephone stuck her tongue out at Demeter, one of her hands clutching Hades' hand. "I told you so."

Demeter turned white. "P-Persephone…Persephone, Persephone…Seph. S-Seph…" she sputtered desperately, "You can't possibly mean that…you can't…you can't be serious. Him. Him?!"

Persephone narrowed her eyes and nodded. Hades shrugged, a smug smirk spreading across his face.

Demeter closed her eyes, as if to block the image of her daughter and the one that he hated standing together. "No…no, it can't be, i-it's just not _possible_, it's not possible…" she moaned, and she opened her eyes to blink several times.

And then she turned on her heel and shook a finger in Hades' face. "You!" she cried, "You did this! You did…something to my daughter! You…you hypnotized her!"

"I did not!" exclaimed Hades indignantly, "I didn't do anything!"

"You kidnapped her!"

"I…well…" Hades paused, then said, "I meant besides that."

Demeter's eyes lit up, and she shook her finger wildly. "See? He confessed! Arrest him!" she shrieked.

"Arrest him?" said Zeus, "Do I look like a police officer?" It was an attempt to break the thick tension in the air. No-one laughed. Hades rolled his eyes and muttered under his breath, "Don't quit your day job…"

"Well, for crying out loud, do something!" screamed Demeter, "Smite him!"

Zeus looked horrified. "I can't do that; he's my own brother!"

"But yet, you stick me in the Underworld anyway," snapped Hades, and Persephone hit him.

But both were then distracted, because Demeter was really flipping out now, shaking and scowling and looking close to tears, unsure of what to do. Finally, she grabbed her daughter by the shoulders and demanded, "Sephy, what did he do to you? Be honest, I won't get mad. It's not your fault—"

"Or rather," pointed out Aphrodite, coming back into the conversation, "what did they do together?"

A few gods snickered at this.

Demeter's eyes widened and her hands tightened around Persephone, so that Persephone winced and cried out, without thinking about it.

"Persephone," said Demeter fiercely, "you listen to me. I do not care if you 'love' him. I do not care if…if he's not evil, or whatever it is you believe. I don't care, I don't care, I don't _care_. You do NOT do ANYTHING with him! EVER!" And she yanked Persephone down to her height so that she stumbled.

Regaining her balance (and her dignity), Persephone straightened up and returned to Hades' side, glancing at him almost nervously. He was thinking the exact same thing and thus spoke:

"Uh…Demeter…what if I told you," Hades began, "And I'm just saying…like, y'know, not for real…but…um…what if I told you that we kinda…sorta…already…did?" His voice had gotten smaller and smaller so that when the sentence ended, you could barely hear him.

Unfortunately, Demeter did. And her green skin turned purple in about three seconds.

"WHAT?!?"

Persephone spread her hands and shrugged, trying to look apologetic but failing, due to the fact that several, ah, memories were coming back to her (and by the look of Hades, the same was happening to him).

"I can't believe it!" wailed Demeter, "Sweet Hermes, Persephone, I can't even _look_ at you right now!"

"Then don't look at me!" snapped Persephone, "Hey, it was my own decision, it's not like he forced me to, or anything. So relax."

Demeter turned to Zeus. "How could you let him do this to my daughter?!"

Zeus showed his palms in a gesture of peace. "How is it my fault? If my brother can't control himself—"

"Hold on a second," interrupted Hades furiously, "_I_ can't control myself?! ME?!" He flared up, and snapped, "Whatever you say, Mr. I-Have-More-Than-17-Wives-And-None-Of-Them-Know-About-Each-Other!"

Hera's eyes widened and she turned to Zeus. "I—_what_?!"

Zeus winced. "Um…ah…" He glared at Hades, who blinked innocently, immensely pleased with himself.

"Oh! You didn't tell Hera yet? My bad…what was she, the ninth?"

"Seventh," corrected Zeus, then gasped and covered his mouth. Hera looked stunned, and she was about to yell at him when Demeter stepped between them.

"You can discuss your marriage issues later!" she hissed, "Right now we have a _bigger_ marriage issue!" She pointed sharply at Hades and Persephone.

Hades made a face. "In-laws." Persephone turned to him in disbelief, with a look that said, _*Why* would you say that at *this* time?!_

Demeter marched straight up to the couple, pushed Hades out of the way ("Hey!" he exclaimed), and faced Persephone. "You cannot and will not stay married to this…this creature!" spat Demeter, "I won't allow it!"

"Mom," said Persephone calmly, "I'm staying married. Hades is the most wonderful guy in the whole world—in the whole Underworld. And besides, you can't just order me around anymore."

Demeter visibly softened at the sound of her daughter's rational and calm voice. "But…but dear, why don't you just settle down with Apollo. He's so much more…well-behaved."

Persephone shook her head, smirking a little. "Well-behaved is…boring."

"But..but...don't ruin your life by marrying _Hades_," Demeter said, bitterness icing her voice.

"I love him," said Persephone simply, "This is what I'm doing. And _you—_" She glared at her mother, "—have no say in the matter."

"No say?" repeated Demeter, "No say?!"

Persephone stood firm, and she scowled and nodded.

"I _do_ have a say," Demeter snapped, "I'll say _this_: Nothing will grow on Earth while Persephone is in the Underworld! _I swear on the River Styx!_"

The lightly chattering crowd fell silent, and Persephone and Hades gasped.

Because all oaths sworn on the River Styx were unbreakable.

* * *

~Author's Note~ Sorry, chapter's a little short....

OMG! I just realized, the story is almost over! Only a few more chapters.... *sobs*

_But_ never fear...there will be a sequel! (more on that later, folks).

Keep on reviewing!


	32. Part 32: Chapter XXXI

**_This _Persephone and Macaria are MINE! Anyone who uses them without my permission gets attacked by Cerberus.**

**Every other character/place/whatever else belongs to Disney. Use them at your own risk.**

**_The REAL Cosmic Couple_**

Chapter XXXI--The Pomegranate Agreement is Established

One could almost hear cricket noises as the gods and goddesses of Mt. Olympus stared at Demeter.

It was Hades who broke the silence. "Are you _insane_?" he demanded, staring down at Demeter and trying not to panic. Technically, starvation among the mortals was a good thing—for him, at least—but the other gods wouldn't like it. Besides, if everyone died, he'd be out of business.

"Mom, if nothing grows on Earth, everyone is going to die," said Persephone, not bothering to hide the note of panic in her voice, "And if all the mortals are dead—"

"No mortals means no more wars!" cried Ares.

"No more love," said Cupid sadly.

"No sacrifices," chimed Poseidon, and Hera added, "No worshippers."

Zeus stood up. "I won't have it!" he bellowed, "Persephone cannot stay with Hades."

Demeter smiled triumphantly and Persephone stared in disbelief at her mother and Zeus.

"You can't do this," she said through gritted teeth, "You can't break up a marriage like that. You can't, it's against our laws. You can't just break us up; can't say that we're not allowed to see each other again…?"

Zeus crossed his arms. "The law? The _law_? I _am_ the law!" He scowled. "I won't let mankind die out so my little brother can be _happy_."

Hades rolled his eyes. "Nice, Zeus, real nice." Gods, his brother was such a jerk.

"Mom," said Persephone again, "Mom, you can't do this to me. You can't do this to _us_." She bit her lower lip. "You can't!"

"I already did," said Demeter coldly, "You have no choice. Say goodbye to Hades, give him his ring back, and let him go back to his Underworld."

"No!" gasped Persephone, then she calmed down and said, more relaxed, "No. Forget it. Let the mortals die; I'm not leaving my husband."

Demeter stared at her daughter. "No…no, you—you can't—" She broke off, realizing that she _could_ and was dead serious about doing it too. "Persephone, you _won't_."

"I will." She grabbed Hades by the arm. "Hades, let's go, I'm sorry; this was a bad idea."

"Take one step outside those gates," warned Zeus, "And I'll smite both of you where you stand." When they both froze, and cast looks of extreme annoyance towards their 'king', Zeus continued, "There's got to be a way this can work out."

He paused, then went on. "Persephone refuses to leave Hades, but if she goes back, the mortals will all die. And since oaths sworn on the Styx are unbreakable, we can't make everything grow on Earth again if Persephone is in the Underworld. So…what are we going to do?"

He was pretty much thinking out loud. The assembled divinities knew not to answer him.

After several seconds of muttering to himself, Zeus said, "I have an idea. Demeter, give me a food."

"Huh?" said Demeter.

"The name of a food, Demeter, give me a name."

Demeter thought for a second (obviously confused—as was everyone else), "Um...pomegranates. Pomegranates are Sephy's favorite fruit."

"Don't _call_ me that," protested Persephone.

Zeus waved a hand at them both for silence. "Alright, listen up, folks. If Persephone has eaten any—what was it?—pomegrantes, that's right, if she's eaten any pomegranates while in the Underworld, she can stay. For how long?—that'll be determined by amount; if, that is, she's even eaten any."

"She couldn't have," said Demeter, casting a glance towards Persephone, who was clinging to Hades, "Why would there be any pomegranates in the Underworld?"

Persephone had a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach as she realized that Demeter was right. She could feel tears brimming at her eyes; all the fruits in the world and the one that was picked, she hadn't eaten.

Hades was also reacting similarly—but he only stared at Persephone instead of showing any other kind of emotion.

_I can't leave you, I can't, I can't Seph, I just can't…there's no way I'll be able to say goodbye, no way I can leave you, I can't, I can't…_was what was running through Hades' head as he stared at his now crying wife, clutching at his toga with a sense of desperation.

"Well, it appears that she hasn't eaten any," said Zeus, looking towards Hades and Persephone, "Alright, then. Problem solved. Hades, back to the Underworld—"

"Wait."

All heads turned to Persephone, whose eyes had widened. She didn't bother to wipe away tears streaking down her face. Instead…

…she began to laugh.

Hades blinked. "Uh…Seph?"

She was crying and laughing at the same time and finally she gasped for air and cried, 'I did!"

Demeter raised an eyebrow. "Persephone, what are you—"

"I did," she repeated, "I did have pomegranates. Don't you remember , Hades? The wine, the wine!"

His own yellow eyes slowly widened as it came back to him.

Wine. The pomegranate wine he had conjured especially for her…

Oy, that had been one hell of a night, too (hint, hint…). It was a wonder he had forgotten…

Smirking deviously, Hades only spoke one syllable, and it was directed both to Zeus and Demeter:

"Ha."

Persephone grinned, and now she wiped her tears away. "Take that, mom! I get to stay with Hades after all!"

Zeus held up his hand quickly. "Hold on. You can't stay with him for the whole year."

Hades flared up and crossed his arms. "Well, why the hell not?!"

With the air of one correcting a small child, Zeus answered patiently, "because all the humans will starve to death. Now, Persephone, you say you ate pomegranates?"

"Pomegranate wine," she responded.

Demeter let out a short, cruel laugh. "There's no such thing."

Way in the back of the crowd, Bacchus piped up, "Yeah, there is. You can make it; but only gods."

"I made it for her," added Hades, "She said it was her favorite fruit—"

"Yeah, right," sneered Demeter, "I'll bet you were just trying to get her drunk."

"I was not," snapped Hades.

"All of you, stop it!" yelled Zeus, "Stop talking. This matter needs to be settled." He turned to Persephone. "How much of this…er, wine did you eat? I-I mean, drink."

At this, Hades smirked and looked at her. Persephone—faintly, but visibly—blushed.

"Um…" she said hesitantly, "…six."

Zeus stared blankly.

"Six? Six what? Six sips? Six gulps? Six glasses? Six drops?"

Hades smirked even more. Persephone blushed even more.

"Uh…" she said, then cut off, glancing at her mother, who was standing with furrowed brows and her arms crossed.

In a lower voice, Persephone admitted, "Six…bottles."

Demeter's eyes widened and her jaw dropped. Zeus raised an eyebrow. "How big were the bottles?"

Hades snapped his fingers, and one appeared in his hand. It was just a little smaller than his forearm.

It was a big bottle, as bottles of wine go.

Demeter's jaw dropped even more. Zeus said, stunned, "You had six of _those_?"

Persephone shrunk back a little. "Er…yes."

Demeter let out a shriek. "MY BABY'S AN ALCOHOLIC!"

Persephone whirled around. "Mom! I'm not an alcoholic. Relax; I was just upset, that's all." Under her breath, she added, "Sure is a good thing gods can't get alcohol poisoning…"

Zeus recovered from his stunned...ness, and declared, "Alright everyone. Since Persephone drank six—" He stared at her with narrowed eyes, to which she stepped backwards so she was next to Hades again, "—bottles of pomegranate wine, she can spend six months with Hades. And six months on Earth. That way, for half the year, Earth will grow, and for the other half, it won't; this way, mortals will be able to survive on the previous months' crops and such. Demeter, Hades, Persephone—is this agreement…acceptable?"

Persephone and Hades looked at each other, thinking the same thing. After all this time, being away from each other for six months would be hard. But it was, after all, better than being separated for eternity. And they'd still get half the year together. Holding tightly to each other's hands, they nodded slowly.

And Demeter, tears coming to her eyes, said, "I…I have no choice…but to accept."

Zeus looked to Athena, who had finished writing all this into a contract, and then back to the three in front of him. The newly written document appeared in his hand, and, handing each god/goddess a quill, he opened the scroll.

"A contract?" said Persephone in confusion.

"The Pomegranate Agreement," stated Zeus, "and if you sign it, it'll be finalized."

Hades, knowing more than his fair share about contracts and making deals, read over the Agreement quickly. Having found no possible loopholes that could be used against him and Seph, and observing that the words were stated clearly and could hold no double meaning, signed his name with a flourish, Persephone doing the same, and then (only hesitating a moment) Demeter.

Zeus grinned. "There," he said, "Problem solved."

"So…" said Demeter carefully, "So now…winter and autumn…will be cold…and nothing will grow. Right?" Zeus nodded in conformation, and she continued, "So…when does Persephone come home?"

Persephone drew in her breath.

"Persephone, you can go back to the Underworld tonight," said Zeus, "and collect your belongings and say goodbye. I expect you packed and on Mt. Olympus by tomorrow morning, understood?"

Persephone nodded, though with a trace of sadness. Leaving Hades so soon? That was going to be tough…

"And then tomorrow, the six-month cycle begins. And Persephone will be returned to Hades. Are we understood?" Nods. "Good. Now all of you, back to…whatever you were doing beforehand. This is over."

But…not over, for the Olympian gods, at least. Because Persephone had pressed her lips to Hades' and the two stood in a full embrace in the middle of the crowd.

_And they almost lived happily ever after…_thought Hades, _Yeah. Almost._

* * *

"So…" said Hercules, still almost reeling from the fact that Persephone had consumed _six_ bottles of wine and had no regrets towards it (Herc's a total farmboy, ain't he?), "…is the story over?"

"Almost," replied Macaria, "Just a little more, I promise. And then you can all go about your happy little lives doing whatever the heck it is you do." She rolled her eyes.

"Hey, hey, relax," said Meg, "I'm in no rush—I kind of like this story. Not only is it twisted and interesting, it provides a hell of a lot of blackmail to use if I ever see Hades again."

Macaria just rolled her eyes again.

* * *

~Author's Note~ Okay, I figure there might be about one or two more chapters after this one, so stay tuned, folks, keep reviewing, and enjoy!!


	33. Part 33: Chapter XXXII

**Okey dokey...Ianthe, _this _Persephone, and _these versions of _Loki, Hel, Anubis and Osiris, Pluto and Proserpina, Sedna, and Satan are MINE! Anyone who uses them without my permission gets attacked by Cerberus.**

**Everything/everyone else belongs to Disney. Use 'em at your own risk**

_**The Real Cosmic Couple**_

Chapter XXXII-- Hades Nearly Scares Persephone to Death and Plans Are Made

"Persephone…" said Hades carefully, "I've been thinking…"

About, well, six months had passed since the Pomegranate Agreement had been established. In fact, Persephone had come back to Hades no more than a week ago.

Persephone smirked. "What? Kicking me out already?"

"We-ell…" Hades cocked his head to one side. "Not _exactly…_"

Her smirk grew wider. "Who am I kidding—you wouldn't kick me out…I'm the light of your life. And you're a moth."

Hades smirked dryly back at her. "Very funny," he said, "Seriously, though. I _have_ been thinking…well…when we got married…well, it wasn't exactly a marriage. I mean it was, but not really a legal one, if you catch my drift."

Persephone raised one eyebrow. "Go on…"

"I forced you into saying everything that needed to be said, yadda yadda, and technically…it doesn't count. It wasn't a mutual thing, so it _shouldn't _count." He paused and folded his hands. "I mean, come on. I had you tied to a chair."

Persephone nodded uneasily, not sure where he was going with this.

"Therefore, if you think about this rationally….we're not married."

Persephone shrugged. "Ok…so…we're not married anymore."

"No."

"You're not my husband."

"Correct."

"And I'm not your wife."

"Correct again."

"So…" She took in a breath, a bit shaken by the recent turn of events, "So we are not married anymore. It never happened—it's annulled. Right?"

"Right."

Persephone stared at her wedding ring, which was steadily vanishing. A quick glance to Hades confirmed that his was doing the same.

As both rings vanished in a little puff of smoke, Hades nodded, almost relieved.

She blinked, becoming more confused by the second. Hades wasn't _actually_ going to throw her out right? He didn't actually mean that—

"Um, Hades?" she questioned, a trace of fear in her eyes. She truly loved him, couldn't live without him, needed him. He was her life. Six months were bad enough, she had quickly learned, but an immortal lifetime? No. Never.

He didn't answer straightaway. After a while, he said, "Yeah?"

Persephone swallowed, growing nervous now. "So, uh…we're not married…so what…I mean, how are we going to….I…are we just going to do, like, a boyfriend –girlfriend sort of thing …?" Her voice trailed off and she looked up at Hades.

"Well, not exactly," he admitted.

She drew a breath; she hadn't expected him to say that. _He _is_ kicking me out!_

"Not exactly?" she repeated.

Persephone expected Hades to just throw her out right then and there (literally). She didn't, however, expect him to wave his hand, making something appear in the middle of her palm.

A ring.

"Persephone," he said, "Will you marry me?"

She was silent for a few seconds, her mouth open in relieved shock, and her hand closing around the ring. And then she hit him.

"Dammit, Hades, you almost gave me a heart attack! I didn't know _what_ you were doing!"

He only smirked at her. "Is that a yes?"

She collapsed against him, smiling through tears that had suddenly developed. "Of course!"

* * *

In all honesty, neither of them was into huge crowds, romantic crap, et cetera, et cetera. So they both agreed to make their wedding as small as possible.

"I really don't even want to say a whole bunch of vows, either," said Persephone, slumped over a scroll and jotting down wedding plans, a slight frown crossing her face.

She was sitting at a table (black of course) and Hades stood behind her, looking down at the paper and Persephone as she spoke. He raised an eyebrow. "Ditto."

She looked up at him as he looked down at her, and she brushed away stray blonde hairs that crossed her face. "And do we even want to invite anyone? I mean…who'll even come? No-one from Olympus, except maybe Aphrodite because she's the one marrying us."

Hades closed his yellow eyes, hair flashing red. "Oy. I'd keep it a completely private thing, like, no guests or anything, but don't we need witnesses or something like that?"

"Exactly." Persephone sighed. "Well, I think most of the Underworld will want to come. Pain and Panic definitely, Charon and the Fates definitely, the Furies definitely…."

She paused, then said, "My mom might want to come, but I don't know. She doesn't like you much."

"Really?" said Hades, sarcasm dripping off his voice, "I couldn't tell."

Persephone ignored his sarcastic comment, and continued, "And I dunno…will your parents want to come?"

Hades winced. "Not the best idea. My dad swallowed me alive when I was, like, three; he's not exactly the kind of guy you'd want at a wedding."

Persephone stared at him. "He swallowed you alive? Seriously?" When he nodded sullenly, Persephone went on, "Sheesh. Okay, what about your mother?"

Hades shrugged. "Probably. She's the one who encouraged me to kidnap you, anyway."

Persephone raised an eyebrow dryly. "Remind me to _thank_ her personally for that."

Hades smirked. "By thank do you mean strangle?"

"Perhaps."

His smirk grew. "Hey…at least she's supportive of my hobbies."

Persephone's violet eyes widened, then narrowed, and her voice was teasingly angry. "_Hobbies_?!"

"Kidnapping people is _fun_."

Persephone ran a hand through her hair, exasperated. "Sicko."

Hades grinned, "Okay, so…most of the Underworld, my mother, your mother…"

"Hera'll probably make Zeus come."

"I don't want him there."

"I don't think he cares, but like I said, Hera'll probably make him. And that means she'll be coming too; after all, she _is_ the goddess of marriage."

"Great." He scowled.

"I don't know too many people," she went on, "because my mother's kept me under lock and key for my whole life. The nymphs I work with will probably insist on coming, and that means Ianthe can be the flower girl, or whatever…we can find something for Pain and Panic to do, I'll bet…"

Hades smirked. "They'd make good bridesmaids."

"Very funny." She pressed her hand to the scroll in thought, her lips slightly parted. Then she said, "Do you have any friends?"

Hades snickered bitterly. "Yeah, right. Mr. Popularity, right here."

"I'm serious, Hades."

"So am I."

"Don't you have, like…" She searched for the right word, "…business partners, or something?"

Hades considered that. "The other Underworld gods and goddesses."

"Here? In our Underworld?"

Hades liked it that she had said 'our' Underworld and not just his. "No, in all the Underworlds. I'm talking about Hel, Anubis and Osiris, Satan, Pluto and Proserpina, Sedna…Loki'll want to come, too, even though he's not one of the Underworld gods…"

Persephone shrugged. "'Kay. They're your friends. Just make sure they don't, like, molest me or something. I don't know about the type of people you hang out with."

"Thanks."

"No offense, of course." She smiled innocently.

He just rolled his eyes.

* * *

The wedding was scheduled to be in two months. The couple was both eagerly awaiting it, and desperately dreading it.

There was a possibility it would turn out as a disaster, and a possibility it would run smoothly; either way, it would be interesting.

And, naturally, as small as possible.

* * *

~Author's Note~ You'll see in the next chapter how small 'as small as possible' is. ^^

Okay, I am SO sorry I haven't updated in so long. I've got Drama Club and NYSSMA and chorus and all sorts of exciting stuff, so I haven't had time to get online and type. I think next chapter is the end (I've been saying that for three chapters, now...), so, yup. We'll see. Then I need to do sort of a 'preview' thingy of the sequel. ^^

As for Hades' "friends," you should really look them up, their stories are very interesting, especially Sedna's.

And yes, I know Pluto and Proserpina are the Roman versions of Hades and Persephone; so, in essence, the same people...but I changed it, and made them two entirely different divinities with entirely different personalities and appearences. 8D

Lessee, anything else I wanna say??....hmmm....nope.

Oh, wait, yup.

PLEASE review me! I'd love to get more than a hundred reviews before this story is all finished and the sequel is started... pwease?? *puppydogeyes*


	34. Part 34: Chapter XXXIII

**_This _Persephone is MINE! Anyone who uses them without my permission gets attacked by Cerberus.**

**Everything/everyone else belongs to Disney. Use 'em at your own risk**

_**The Real Cosmic Couple**_

Chapter XXXIII-- Hades and Persephone Get Remarried

"Shoo."

Hades had his arms crossed, and he was scowling into blank space, his hair a furious shade of red.

Pain tilted his head. "Boss…" he said carefully, inwardly deciding to take a huge risk and chide him on this, "Don't be difficult."

Panic stared at Pain, mouthing the words, 'Are you insane?!' but Pain just shrugged.

"Shoo," Hades repeated, "Scram, leave, disappear, scurry off, vanish, get lost, go away, _shoo_. And leave me ALONE!!" He stood up and zapped them.

Pain coughed. So it _hadn't_ been the best idea to say that…

"But, boss—" Panic started, but Hades cut him off.

"Seph and I wanted to make this _as small as possible_. No ridiculous decorations, no ridiculous wedding cake, no ridiculous wedding dress and no ridiculous…whatever the hell that is."

"Don't you want to look nice for your wedding?"

"As a matter of fact, no. I don't care. I wanna re-marry Seph and get done with it so we can go on with living our lives in the perfectly satisfied way we were before. No fancy junk. Just…well, the way we had being living before!"

"But…what are you going to wear?" questioned Panic.

Hades stared in disgust at the fancy toga/chiton thing the imps had presented him with. "This," he said, gesturing to the clothes he was wearing at the moment; the traditional black chiton with the skull pin he usually had on.

Pain and Panic sighed in aggravation, deciding in a glance that it wasn't worth arguing with him.

Hades had no idea that at the same time in Demeter's cottage, Persephone was arguing with her mother about almost the same thing.

* * *

"Shoo," said Persephone, folding her arms in the exact same way Hades had them folded, unaware that she was using the exact same word he had chosen to use.

Demeter covered her face with her hands. "Persephone," she said flatly, "This is difficult enough for me as it is. Don't make it even _more _difficu—"

"Difficult for _you_?" said Persephone, her voice dangerously quiet, "This is _my _wedding. You have nothing to do with it; in fact you've only made things worse for me. For my life."

Demeter stared at Persephone and narrowed her eyes. "_Why _is it difficult? What, you…you think I _want_ you to marry him?"

"Oh, I've realized you don't…you've made your displeasure perfectly clear, _Mother_," said Persephone icily.

Demeter only kept staring. A bonus to Persephone marrying this…this creature was that she had become amazingly polite in terms of words; however, her tone had only grown colder and nastier as the days flew by.

"But with your permission," Persephone continued, "or _without_ it, this wedding is going to happen. It's my choice, my decision." She turned to glare at Demeter. Normally sparkling violet eyes were unnaturally hard.

Demeter was quiet for a second. "I have no objection," she said.

She snapped around to stare at Demeter so quickly it appeared she would get whiplash; her eyes were so wide, one would think they'd fall out. Her skin was several shades lighter.

"Y-You _don't_?!" gasped Persephone. It couldn't be! Demeter was the most stubborn person she knew; Hades was easier to deal with, and that was saying something.

Demeter pressed her lips together tightly. "I…I don't but I do, if that makes any sense…"

Persephone recovered quickly. _Too good to be true. Figures._

"I just….just don't like…I mean…" She cut off, not sure what words to use. "You know I don't like Hades, and I doubt I ever will, but…but I'm done arguing with you. No more objections, I'll keep it to myself."

"Sure."

"I will."

"Of course. For how long, a week?"

"Persephone…"

"I'm sorry, _mother._"

Demeter struggled not to lose her temper. Not now, she was already on thin ice with Persephone… "I will keep it to myself, for as long as I can—"

"Which won't be long."

"—but don't you come crying to me when things don't work out and you want a divorce."

Persephone smirked slightly. "See? You didn't even last 10 minutes."

"I'm just saying," said Demeter, folding her thick green arms.

She shrugged, rolled her eyes and tilted her head, thinking of flowers and bones and sunlight and darkness and Hades.

"Now then!" Demeter said, her voice taking on a more commanding motherly tone, "Put this on."

"No," Persephone said automatically.

"Persephone—"

"I don't want to," she said through clenched teeth.

"But, but, it's your wedding," protested Demeter almost helplessly, "You can't just walk down the aisle—"

"I'm _not_ walking down an aisle." Hades and Persephone had agreed to just save time and materialize at the spot where they were supposed to stand instead of walking dramatically down the aisle—Persephone, anyway, didn't have a father, making it kind of hard for her father to escort her…

"Well, then when you're…when you're doing whatever, when you're at the wedding," Demeter said, frowning, "you can't just be wearing…street clothes."

"Street clothes."

"Yes. That." Demeter gestured to the plain blue dress Persephone was wearing, complete with a pink flower clasp holding the fabric together at her shoulder. "You can't wear that at your wedding," she said, and, checking the sundial hanging from a hook on the wall, added, "Which, by the way, is in about an hour and a half."

"But….I don't want to wear a wedding dress," Persephone said, folding her hands in her lap, "And what's wrong with wearing this? Hades isn't dressing up."

"And if Hades jumped off a bridge, would you jump, too?" said Demeter dryly.

Persephone's lips curved into a tiny smirk. "Maybe. I'm immortal, what would I have to lose?"

Demeter said nothing.

"Old expressions don't work on goddesses, mom," said Persephone.

"Whatever," Demeter groaned, "Listen, Sephy—"

"Don't call me that!"

"Seph, you have to wear something new to your wedding. Not that ragged thing you're wearing now, something that looks decent."

Persephone snapped her fingers, and her old blue dress transformed into a new black one. But this dress—unlike the fancy wedding dress Hades had originally conjured for her—was simple, extremely plain. Just a long, black dress.

And the clasp was different. Demeter eyed it curiously.

"Is that—is that a pomegranate?" said Demeter.

"Where?"

"There. Your…your little clasp…?"

Persephone glanced at her clasp, to her mother, back to the clasp, then back to her mother and smirked. "Why...yes it is."

Almost growing angry, but mostly growing exasperated, Demeter said, "You're going to wear a _pomegranate_ to your wedding?!"

"Why _not_? What do _you_ care?!"

Demeter sighed, rather annoyed, and gave up. Arguing with Persephone was a lost cause…

* * *

To say Aphrodite was happy was a major understatement. She was thrilled, ecstatic, trembling with joy. The one god and one goddess who had openly opposed love and marriage were getting married.

And to each other. What a triumph in the fields of love.

Sure, there were the three virgin goddesses who had formally declared themselves off-limits to any man. Aphrodite hated it, but accepted it. At least _they_ (for the most part) didn't go around talking about love like it was something foul and disgusting. And, Aphrodite recalled to herself, they weren't even pretty; their closing themselves off didn't make any sort of difference. Persephone, she was gorgeous, a beauty which (although she hated to admit it) rivaled her own. Her staying single would have been a terrible, terrible loss.

And Hades, gods, Hades. Hades had skulked around miserably for eons, claiming that to love someone was a god-awful thing. He had bragged to Aphrodite more than once about his ability to resist her powers.

Aphrodite smirked slightly into her mirror, admiring her perfect lips and eyes and cheeks. Hades' so-called 'ability' wasn't nearly as strong as he had made it out to be, obviously. She smirked again, wider.

The situation had only improved for her. Because she was going to be the one who would get to marry them.

The goddess of love stared at her reflection. _Oh, yes, Persephone is stunning,_ she thought sweetly, _But I'm stunning-er. _Her thoughts drifted back to the situation at hand.

Hades and Persephone, the anti-marriage couple, were getting married and Aphrodite would get the honor of marrying them.

"What a triumph," she said happily, "Oh, _such_ a triumph…"

* * *

Hades checked the sundial on the wall for at least the thirteenth time. As the shadow moved slightly over to the IV, Hades blinked.

And disappeared in a curl of smoke, his final words echoing around the tiny room.

"Showtime, boys."

Pain and Panic sniffed loudly, wiping away tears of joy and pride.

* * *

Persephone, who had also been eagerly watching the sundial, leapt to her feet as the shadow moved to IV.

Demeter didn't bother to hide the scowl on her face as her daughter vanished.

* * *

They had already agreed not to walk down the aisle.

Both Hades and Persephone appeared at the altar. Conveniently, (and entirely accidentally) in each others' arms.

Neither was complaining.

Hades couldn't help but notice the expression on Aphrodite's face. It annoyed him, because he knew exactly why she looked so smug.

He certainly _could_ resist her powers…if he wanted to…and looking at Persephone, his bride-to-be, resisting Aphrodite's powers of love was the last thing he wanted to do.

* * *

Persephone curled her hand around Hades' and practically purred. To think, several months ago, she had firmly declared that she would never, never ever, not a chance in Tartarus get married. Unless, she had said, it was for love.

Needless to say, she had stayed true to her word.

She noted how happy Aphrodite looked. _Because I'm getting married,_ said a voice in her head, _Because me and Hades are getting married. _The voice in her head…she recalled with an inner smile the two halves of her conscience, pro-Hades and anti-Hades, who had actually played a huge part in her and Hades' relationship.

It was too bad they didn't exist. She would have invited them to the wedding.

* * *

Aphrodite wanted to stick her tongue out and laugh. She had only really seen the two together when Persephone had returned; and that hardly counted, seeing as Hades had been under too harsh an interrogation to show his feelings (…not that he ever did.).

But now…

She was unable to keep the triumphant smirk off her face. The satisfaction, the satisfaction of seeing her amazing powers completely conquer the dark Lord of the Underworld.

Aphrodite unrolled the long scroll she had prepared just for the occasion. Lines and lines of specially written vows were scrawled in her perfect, beautiful handwriting. She flashed a stunning smile at her audience, and began to read.

At least, she started to begin. All she had done was open her mouth when Hades interjected.

"Hold on there, Aph," he said, holding up his hand. Persephone tried to suppress a smirk. Demeter, in the 'audience,' groaned.

Aphrodite had had very little patience with Hades to begin with. She managed to keep a hold on her temper, anyway.

"Yes?" she said tightly.

"Okay, Aph, babe, listen. Seph and I just wanna get married, kay?" he said, "So…can ya, like, skip through all this—" he snatched the scroll from her hands, scanned it, and made a face, "—stuff, and just…marry us."

"Short, sweet, and to the point, please," added Persephone.

Aphrodite stared at them furiously, gritting her teeth. The best moment of her career—and they wanted to ruin it for her?!

She fumed silently for a few seconds.

"Do you?" she finally flatly asked Persephone.

The goddess of spring nodded and smiled. "Yup."

It only infuriated Aphrodite more. Couldn't she say 'I do' like a regular bride?!

Aphrodite turned to Hades and asked, just as flatly, "Will you?"

Hades grinned, twistedly, "Mm-hmm."

Aphrodite scowled. "You're married. Kiss the bride," she snapped, and she stomped off to go sulk in the audience.

Hades smirked at Persephone, who was shaking her head, amused.

"Hey, well, ya wanted a short wedding," Hades said, "Short enough for ya?"

Persephone rolled her eyes, but she was smiling, "Oh, please, it was perfect," she said, and then her smile grew as she added, "And now, I believe you were just given an instruction…?" She looked at him expectantly.

Hades blinked. _Oh, right. Duh. _Without another moment of hesitation, the Lord of the Underworld kissed his new Queen.

Even sulky Aphrodite had to smile.

* * *

Persephone grinned and hummed to herself as she flitted about her room. She was a wife, a queen. The goddess of spring and now the goddess of rebirth as well. Zeus had insisted that, as the new official Queen of the Underworld, 'goddess of spring' would seem a little out of place. And so he bestowed upon her an additional duty.

Persephone suspected privately that it had just been a way to keep her busy and away from Hades. A new little voice in her ehad told her Zeus was insanely jealous of his brother.

She gathered her things together and threw them into a bag. She had been staying on Earth for the wedding and the days surrounding it, but it was still fall. And she had every intention of returning to the Underworld with her husband.

Speaking of which, Persephone's husband was standing just outside her bedroom door, arguing with Demeter.

"…and the poor girl's exhausted, you can't take her back today, not now!" Demeter was saying (screaming).

"She's my wife now," Hades snapped, and Persephone could easily detect a note of pride in his voice, "she belongs with me now—and it's autumn, anyway. She's supposed to be in the Underworld to begin with!"

"I won't let you!" Demeter cried, "You're lucky I sat through that awful wedding without crying out an objection, that was bad enough. But now you have the _nerve_ to ask me to permit you to—"

"I'm not asking, I'm telling!"

"AND I'M TELLING _YOU_—"

"HEY!" Persephone cut, stepping quickly in the middle of Hades and Demeter, "Please try not to kill each other."

"Sephy, I—" Demeter started.

"Don't call me Sephy," Persephone immediately snapped.

Demeter looked very annoyed. "Persephone, this isn't your place—"

"Oh, leave her alone already, sis," Hades snapped, flaring up.

Demeter said something like, 'don't call me that,' but Persephone wasn't really listening.

_Sis?!_

Her first instinct was that she had heard him wrong. But even though Hades talked fast, he never mingled words.

And the more she thought about it, the more it made sense. _Definitely explains why they hate each other so much. _

"Sis?" Persephone repeated out loud.

Demeter gave Hades a dirty look, and he glared right back.

And Demeter said, "Sephy, sweetheart, I thought you knew."

"Knew?" echoed Persephone, looking from Hades to Demeter and back again. "You mean…you two are…" She had to laugh. They were so…different! "…brother and sister?!"

Hades glanced at Demeter and scowled; she did the same, only vice versa.

"A little," Hades said, frowning deeply.

"A little? Well, either you are or you aren't," said Persephone.

"We are," said Demeter through tightly clenched teeth.

Persephone began to giggle. "I can't _believe_ you never told me this!" She glanced at Hades. "I can't believe _either _of you never cared to mention it!"

"You know, I don't find anything very funny about it," said Demeter, her upper lip curling in disgust.

"So…" Persephone giggled despite her mother's words. "So, I just married my uncle?"

Hades and Demeter shared a glance. But before he could get a word out, Demeter was already by Persephone's side, talking.

"If you're, oh, uncomfortable about being married to a close relative," Demeter said innocently, "you know, Sephy, divorce is _always_ an option."

Hades narrowed his eyes and looked absolutely furious.

Persephone was more annoyed with her mother than angry. "Yeah, no," she said, with a slight sneer, "Nice try, though."

It was Demeter's turn to be furious; with an angry sigh, she gave up and turned on her heel, retreating into the shadows of Olympus. "Have fun with him," she spat out sarcastically, and then she was more or less gone.

Hades stole a nervous-ish glance at Persephone. He personally couldn't care less whether or not Seph was his niece or not. He loved her, that was all that mattered. Right? And besides, Zeus had married his own sister. So their little incestuous marriage was no biggie, compared to his older siblings'.

He didn't care. But Persephone could think otherwise…

"Seph?" Hades said finally, quietly, questioningly, "You…you don't care, right? About us being, like, related?" He looked up at the sky. "I mean, we're gods, so it doesn't matter, and I don't care but…"

She cut him off. "Hey, if I cared, trust me, I'd be out the door and running by now," Persephone said with a smirk.

Hades tried not to sigh with relief. It would have killed him if she had said yes, that it _did_ bother her…if she had just ended the marriage right then and there, before they had even gotten back to the Underworld. _Thank the gods_, Hades thought, and again he had to struggle to keep a look of relief off his face. Even if he was married, he had a reputation to keep. Not to mention the fact that he didn't want Seph thinking he was afraid—

"Why?" Persephone questioned at the moment, "Were you afraid?"

Hades' eyes widened. "_Hey,_ I wasn't—"

"Don't bother to rationalize. It's a hopeless cause," Persephone teased, "I can read you like a scroll."

Hades rolled his eyes and smiled at her.

The smirk that had been on her face faded and she stared at him in wonder. A conversation they had had—months ago!—replayed for her:

"_Er…sorry…" she said with a shrug, "I'm sorta living in another world."_

_Hades smirked. "Yeah. The Underworld."_

_Persephone looked around, as if realizing this for the first time. "Besides that, I mean." She gave him a half-smile._

_He smirked at her._

_Persephone gave an exasperated sigh. "Why do you have to smirk at everything? Can't you just smile like a normal person?"_

_He shrugged. "Sorry, babe, I don't __do__ smiling."_

"You don't do smiling, huh?" Persephone found herself saying, but she was unable to look away, unable to pull her thoughts away from the subject.

He was _smiling_, for the first time in—in how long? Months, obviously, because she had never, not once, seen him actually smile in the time she was with him. But now, now he was.

The fact she couldn't tear away from was that he wasn't just smiling.

He was smiling for her.

* * *

~Author's Notes~ Well, whaddya know? This actually WAS the last chapter! Or...or not, if ya count the epilogue. ^^

Yup, this is the longest chapter. ^^ Who cares? This is the finale!! 3 Remember to review me!!


	35. Part 35: Epilogue

**_This _Persephone, and Macaria are MINE! Anyone who uses them without my permission gets attacked by Cerberus.**

**Everything/everyone else belongs to Disney. Use 'em at your own risk**

_**The Real Cosmic Couple**_

Epilogue

"…The end," finished Macaria, and she sat back in her chair, looking expectantly at her 3-person audience.

"Wow, Macaria," Bob said, his voice sounding rather stunned, "I…I never knew all of that…any of that. Thank you for sharing."

She gave the nonexistent narrator a fanged smile.

"Yeah," agreed Hercules, "I didn't know all that, either…come to think of it…how do _you_ know all of it? I mean…" He laughed a little. "Hades isn't exactly the most open guy in all of Greece, if ya know what I mean. How'd you find all this stuff out?"

"I'm on good terms with the Fates," Macaria explained, "They let me read the Tapestry and stuff…and I've read the story of my parents so many times, I've got it memorized. Word for word, thought for thought, action for action."

"And your parents don't mind you going around telling people about their past?" Hercules asked skeptically.

Macaria shrugged. "…eh."

Hercules blinked. "Eh? What does 'eh' mean?"

She shrugged again. "Just…eh."

Meg smirked. "I'm gonna go way out on a limb here and say that your _ever-_so-charming parents either do NOT know you're telling us these things or, if they do, are NOT happy about it." Macaria scowled, and Meg added, "Am I right?"

"Well," Maci said, choosing her words carefully, "They're not…_very_ happy about it…but they don't _really_ mind."

"Says who?" growled Hades.

Macaria gasped and whirled around; Hercules and Meg sprang to their feet.

Standing behind them was the real cosmic couple themselves.

"Oh, my," said Bob.

"Wha—how long have you been standing there?!" Hercules stuttered.

"About 20 seconds," Persephone said stiffly, "But we've been watching—and listening—on Tartarus Vision since you started."

Macaria looked furious, her hair seemed to be on the verge of explosion. "nd since when did you start to spy on me?!"

Hercules, who had been examining Persephone curiously, suddenly piped up, "Hey, that's your wedding dress!"

Persephone and Hades turned and glared at Macaria as one.

She _was_, in fact, wearing the dress she had worn for her re-marriage to Hades; complete with pomegranate clasp at the shoulder. Dangling from around her neck was her skull necklace.

Persephone actually looked, according to Macaria's descriptions, at least, just like she had all those years ago, only now, her hair reached almost down to her knees.

"Y'know," said Hades irritably, " I seem to recall one of _us_ telling _you_ NOT to go around being a freaking storyteller."

"I'm educating the public," Macaria replied, folding her arms.

"No, you're educating _them_," Hades shot a glare at Hercules and Meg, "Listen, Maci. Are you _trying_ to get me to explode? 'Cuz that's the only place this conversation is going."

"Is Menthe still growing in your garden?" Meg asked Persephone wryly. Persephone scowled.

"Macaria—" She started angrily, but the teenage goddess already knew what was coming.

"I know, I know, grounded 'til next Saturnalia. Sheesh, touchy, touchy." Macaria scowled and as both Hades and Persephone grabbed Macaria by each arm and started to materialize, she waved at Herc and Meg and rolled her eyes.

And then all three were gone.

Hercules glanced uneasily at Meg, then looked upwards to wherever Bob was.

"Weird," he commented.

"Very weird," agreed Meg, "I didn't know Hades had a soft side."

"I can't help but wonder about Macaria," said Bob.

"What about her?" said Hercules.

"I mean, we know the story of her parents now," said Bob, "But…what's the story of _her_?"

"Hades would be amusing as a father," Meg mused, "I'll bet he flipped out when Persephone told him she was pregnant."

"Well…do you think it's too late to call Macaria back?" said Hercules, "Y'know, ask her to tell us her life story?" After a second, he added, "'Cuz I wanna know now, too."

"She's grounded ''til next Saturnalia,' remember?" Meg pointed out.

"Well," said Bob, "When she's ungrounded, we can go ask her, right? After all," His tone changed. It sounded a little bit proud. "After all, I can't be the narrator and not know all there is to know about the gods and their stories. Then I can't accurately narrate."

"Right," Hercules said. Meg nodded.

"Alright. So I'll put it on our To-Do List…. 'Go to the Underworld and Ask Macaria to Tell Us Her Life Story.'" She grinned twistedly, and glanced at Herc. "And now, if there's nothing else for us to do here, I think I'll be getting home…you coming, Wonderboy?" Hercules obediently nodded and they started to walk away.

And one could hear Hercules' voice as the two left:

"Why did Bob have to bring that up? Now I'm _dying_ to know her story!"

* * *

~Author's Notes~ ....I ENDED ON A PUN! BWAHAHA! Pfft, what can I say? Underworld humor amuses me!

So that's it! Story's over, the end, finished, gone, dead, buh-bye. ^^

But keep an eye out for that sequel!!...speaking of which...can you guess what the sequel's gonna be about? ^^


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